tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61407353354071927602024-03-05T13:02:18.720-08:00The Project WorkbenchMattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.comBlogger875125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-1380779556386558672021-02-27T21:27:00.000-08:002021-02-27T21:27:59.891-08:00For Sale: Bell 206BIII Jet Ranger HelicopterUp for sale is a Bell 206BIII Jet Ranger
Helicopter.
<P>
Asking price is $5,500 USD, CASH, or best offer.
<CENTER>
<iframe width="600" height="350" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gEvuT78iqH4" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></CENTER>
I have put together a video giving all the relevant information on this item,
including photos, videos, links and wisecracks.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEvuT78iqH4&feature=youtu.be"
>You can find it here</a>
<P>
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<P>
I will include here the photos that are in that video, and all of the text from
it too. Here's a
<a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_206">link to the wikipedia page</a> on the type of helicopter this is.
<P>
<P>
<P>
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<P>
This is not a
replica, but is an actual Bell helicopter.
<P>
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<P>
I THINK it's a Jet Ranger, but it
might be a different variant that is super close to it.
<P>
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<P>
I cannot say for
certain. It is non functional and currently not flight worthy. I cannot say with
any certainty if this could ever be made flight worthy. I will leave that
mystery up to the buyer.
<P>
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<P>
If the title of this post and video says "For sale" then it's
still available. If it says "Sold" it is no longer available.
<P>
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<P>
This helicopter was Screen used in the arnold
swazrnegger classic True Lies, a Rihanna music awards performance and numerous
other TV shows and movies.
<P>Here is a link to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQW2FFt3-A8">Rihanna awards cerenmony presentation that the helicopter is featured in</a>.
<P>
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<P>
You can see that since that awards ceremony video was shot, the choppa has
had some components removed, including the rear end of the tail section, but it
is otherwise in tact.
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Being sold as is. It is non functional. Included but not
pictured are the two main rotor blades. Actually one of them can be seen lying
on the ground under the beast early in the video. There is a motor in the top of
the helicopter, which I suspect was used to articulate the blades as seen in the
music video. I'm not sure if it still works. I have not run power to it.
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Located
in Los Angeles, California, is available for immediate pickup. This thing is
pretty heavy, and will probably require some kind of wheel rig to get it onto a
trailer.
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I will not be able to manage shipping logistics for you, but if you
need help I can point you to some reliable resources that I have used in the
past.
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This would be a great buy for a film or tv production studio as a process
helicopter, or it could be redressed as a sci-fi vehicle. I got an inquiry from
a paintball place that was thinking of using it in one of their courses and as a
photo op. There's a million and one great uses for this unique piece of film
history.
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If you have any questions, please add them in the comments below, or
you can DM me if you have an offer or a curiosity that you'd rather not post
about.
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You can see fromt the videos and the picutres that overall it's in
fantastic shape, and seems to have a few coats of paint on it obscuring some of
the finer details.
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The interior obviousl needs an entire re-dress, and the main
windshields are msising.
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For the curious, I can definitely piont you to some
local fabrication shops that would no doubt be happy to bid on helping you
attend to the details you want to breathe new live into.
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Hopefully we can find
this ship a great new home, with someone who can take good care of her and give
her a new life.
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This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a rare and
fascinating piece of movie history.
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Also, last but not least:
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MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-41092336650426038832019-09-18T13:31:00.000-07:002019-09-18T13:31:40.385-07:00CW Superman Boots from "Cosplay by Studio Boheme"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSk6rE68FUhPR8F6x5BJED6xHtoc3Jv-Kq5bbFafK0YxJA2XN7AOsyJTfPYo3ZcRmYlyNpajI7g4VmwpFgtJwtkyRw1jMAULea5N1MA0PHMPzDrtfWFHxCURAs60OLV132vUWcr1PQZQ/s1600/a_boots.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSk6rE68FUhPR8F6x5BJED6xHtoc3Jv-Kq5bbFafK0YxJA2XN7AOsyJTfPYo3ZcRmYlyNpajI7g4VmwpFgtJwtkyRw1jMAULea5N1MA0PHMPzDrtfWFHxCURAs60OLV132vUWcr1PQZQ/s320/a_boots.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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This post is really just one giant shout-out to the good folks at “Cosplay by Studio Boheme” for their awesome work, and the amazing Superman boots I recently received from them.
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A couple of years ago, Superman made a full-on appearance in the CW show “Supergirl.”
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38A7IrowcwOvpnBwyLIGc71fp7GvrXp7hMUDGemdspBiCDonB1xT6Zpj4iMENaAjezbWG4LnRGzi_CS7ZxM-l2dnuuc6qKLyQxByjFfGPQE3p5xS3n3Pru5dqJallxe9-NFiQ8sRlQF4/s1600/bts1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38A7IrowcwOvpnBwyLIGc71fp7GvrXp7hMUDGemdspBiCDonB1xT6Zpj4iMENaAjezbWG4LnRGzi_CS7ZxM-l2dnuuc6qKLyQxByjFfGPQE3p5xS3n3Pru5dqJallxe9-NFiQ8sRlQF4/s320/bts1.jpg" width="214" height="320" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="1197" /></a>
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He had been a background character in the show since the beginning, but seen only in blur, shadow, silhouette or distance shots. But they finally bit the bullet and introduced the character in a couple of great episodes, portrayed wonderfully by Tyler Hoechlin. Though off topic, I will go on record as saying I find this representation to be the most accurate and faithful to the John Byrne and beyond vision of Superman. As much as I love the Donner movies, I find Hoechlin’s performance and the CW writer teams’ take on Supes to be superior. Blaspheme, I know.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-ShD3R15IZ-hgLqzxE5GzTmrHyQX6Qn0O67x7VPJ-3sYz-mKhjNIe1mu4wJbJvZb-yDYYk_O0aqhVB9Mo5nK3EivGvgBGugB2UsWBxmeWVzKQMnZ51rDxLKnjEO7TsS1njMvsYZOm4g/s1600/bts2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-ShD3R15IZ-hgLqzxE5GzTmrHyQX6Qn0O67x7VPJ-3sYz-mKhjNIe1mu4wJbJvZb-yDYYk_O0aqhVB9Mo5nK3EivGvgBGugB2UsWBxmeWVzKQMnZ51rDxLKnjEO7TsS1njMvsYZOm4g/s320/bts2.jpg" width="213" height="320" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="1200" /></a>
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The costume presented in the first appearance, though featuring the traditional notes, was definitely a new take on the classic. Thankfully, the CW is on board with the “no trunks” movement that was really kicked off in the movies and tv by Henry Cavil, though the trunks have been on and off in the comics for years now. The cape is leather with a silk lining, with a new style of shoulder straps and clips seemingly holding everything in place. The body suit was covered with a chain mail type repeating pattern, also reminiscent of the Cavil MOS suit. The boots were still the near knee-high classics in red, but with a far more utilitarian design than we are accustomed to. For the belt they went with a non-v shaped, straight belt with some interesting lines and color choices. I think my initial reaction to the suit when they released the first promo photos was positive, though I didn’t love the cape straps and clips. The colors were also more muted than the Reeve suit, but not as much as the Cavil suit.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EGk5olu9SYxjH9zBSMd6EjxroPeqm1egsZY-7YeQKwisRN18_Mbsz7gH3SkoNiYL5ISE9mwjRDv2jkJNPkZth9-qZ4HzqHYI1cFvUTpDMDTg5ndJq8bbFXOw72MpFVfeMBP1ElpTCUQ/s1600/bts3.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EGk5olu9SYxjH9zBSMd6EjxroPeqm1egsZY-7YeQKwisRN18_Mbsz7gH3SkoNiYL5ISE9mwjRDv2jkJNPkZth9-qZ4HzqHYI1cFvUTpDMDTg5ndJq8bbFXOw72MpFVfeMBP1ElpTCUQ/s320/bts3.jpg" width="213" height="320" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="1200" /></a>
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I may do some future blog posts on the topic of the Hoechlin suit, but one of the first pieces I got for this costume was the boots. In all of my costuming experience, boots are often the hardest part of any suit to nail down. Boot making is an art, and poorly made boots are not an option as they are the things you will be walking around in all day. The fastest way to ruin the usefulness of a costume is to have uncomfortable or painful footwear. I know this from experience.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0xnjemP18x5BAemIPLhZIJIB5_MLH57ukfljX9cHzhnFsEUqT4zQvrkkQHthuSKJnS45n6cj7sNbDSkv2xLCFRq99V9E4aAtLlPXeGqc8e1F_gxjzqqwNT-s_TOnb2M1XmGugLpEZrQ/s1600/boots3.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0xnjemP18x5BAemIPLhZIJIB5_MLH57ukfljX9cHzhnFsEUqT4zQvrkkQHthuSKJnS45n6cj7sNbDSkv2xLCFRq99V9E4aAtLlPXeGqc8e1F_gxjzqqwNT-s_TOnb2M1XmGugLpEZrQ/s320/boots3.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKzWfDCRL2_Vq2FGdlyUsD-SQHMm_WJlaGK5vDgpj9sfK3p3JMdWGoWktHqiJ7hBp4ck3JTr9gfAOoGJG4v_gAD2inxvk97lGIrVx775ycQAHLDaQly0-VbGLCWrlOUvzaD5j6j6W8Vc/s1600/boot+close+up2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKzWfDCRL2_Vq2FGdlyUsD-SQHMm_WJlaGK5vDgpj9sfK3p3JMdWGoWktHqiJ7hBp4ck3JTr9gfAOoGJG4v_gAD2inxvk97lGIrVx775ycQAHLDaQly0-VbGLCWrlOUvzaD5j6j6W8Vc/s320/boot+close+up2.jpg" width="320" height="314" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="785" /></a>
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A friend pointed me to Studio Boheme years ago, and I have been following their work on facebook. They seem to do a lot of Power Rangers stuff, but also a good mix of fantasy/sci-fi/genre stuff, and all of it looks professional and even machine made. Just really great looking boots. I messaged them via facebook about the boots, filled out their measurement spreadsheet, and in about a month I had this pair of amazing boots on my front doorstep.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSk6rE68FUhPR8F6x5BJED6xHtoc3Jv-Kq5bbFafK0YxJA2XN7AOsyJTfPYo3ZcRmYlyNpajI7g4VmwpFgtJwtkyRw1jMAULea5N1MA0PHMPzDrtfWFHxCURAs60OLV132vUWcr1PQZQ/s1600/a_boots.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSk6rE68FUhPR8F6x5BJED6xHtoc3Jv-Kq5bbFafK0YxJA2XN7AOsyJTfPYo3ZcRmYlyNpajI7g4VmwpFgtJwtkyRw1jMAULea5N1MA0PHMPzDrtfWFHxCURAs60OLV132vUWcr1PQZQ/s320/a_boots.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTKg339D_-Eyu_CfxKqcegFxUAtWZaHf4b8t2hkRTb2-k5wbhdaG5xXfh2V2brAaO9YUfekxey9LRIgNmGCGXmR_OEBBypDg40UCKPnjKkhC6RhY3ApYFjKy1CgHkQ3Y0-ShOUHm3aqA/s1600/boot+close+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTKg339D_-Eyu_CfxKqcegFxUAtWZaHf4b8t2hkRTb2-k5wbhdaG5xXfh2V2brAaO9YUfekxey9LRIgNmGCGXmR_OEBBypDg40UCKPnjKkhC6RhY3ApYFjKy1CgHkQ3Y0-ShOUHm3aqA/s320/boot+close+up.jpg" width="320" height="218" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="545" /></a>
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For the most part I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves, as I know ascetic appreciation is largely a subjective matter, but to my eye these boots are absolutely beautiful, and are stunningly well made. Of all the boots I have ever owned for costumes, be they custom made or off the shelf, I think these are the best made pair I have ever owned. Not only do they fit absolutely perfectly, but the craftsmanship is just top notch. They even have a lining!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdUxucQ_8n4nI74_ESekh2lq0UD6pdiMl3Wn636EkyKsnEPWe3oqZTyLjmK7LI9ERdofZe2tXLsjeJZlWGeLOEImNTe3ikWf8ULPxPDYSMSzmbmH7tavSROlAkKAdq9adlg173b52Wjk/s1600/boots1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdUxucQ_8n4nI74_ESekh2lq0UD6pdiMl3Wn636EkyKsnEPWe3oqZTyLjmK7LI9ERdofZe2tXLsjeJZlWGeLOEImNTe3ikWf8ULPxPDYSMSzmbmH7tavSROlAkKAdq9adlg173b52Wjk/s320/boots1.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFxEkdSx5zIRdITXkq1eK4Dxp1yBiI__z9Krmr7bdrtc399IhGJtp8bv4z_q7McXVN7pzPg-FiOtEvxkjHRpdKwojt-3TkZPDY7tMAOKgMN4E4ChOppYMI6wXyKJaBLm10_VOtFpaIgA/s1600/bts4.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjFxEkdSx5zIRdITXkq1eK4Dxp1yBiI__z9Krmr7bdrtc399IhGJtp8bv4z_q7McXVN7pzPg-FiOtEvxkjHRpdKwojt-3TkZPDY7tMAOKgMN4E4ChOppYMI6wXyKJaBLm10_VOtFpaIgA/s320/bts4.jpg" width="213" height="320" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="1200" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskoHGcqoFucCQH9iHGSvMrLnNVYrNkIjwY79DahSsODRJLAqMFLGTwtHT7Dlq5dFUi_t6XJwCDENpBf4caHjHfnhW_yFTdlWN_cbFfxaVTvH21wYPsFeNxJ_2vNhRLYY6BenIpbKpQ6s/s1600/boots4.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskoHGcqoFucCQH9iHGSvMrLnNVYrNkIjwY79DahSsODRJLAqMFLGTwtHT7Dlq5dFUi_t6XJwCDENpBf4caHjHfnhW_yFTdlWN_cbFfxaVTvH21wYPsFeNxJ_2vNhRLYY6BenIpbKpQ6s/s320/boots4.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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As far as accuracy goes, to my eye I would put these at about 90%. I think the textured inserts are a different texture than what we see on screen, but that’s my only nit. And it’s a minor one, one that I don’t think anyone will notice. And if they ARE looking at my boots closely enough to notice that the embossing on two panels doesn’t match perfectly what you see on screen, then that means that their head is really close to my foot, making them a prime target for an accidental boot to the head. Hah! That’ll teach ya, ya judgy jerks!!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwR8sGEti_dwKbMWu8cvzIJ6nvSIujA-SOPIWzL4ebhsU1DkBl-YLXHbpmYJ1r1RskP8pnRYsbfAvQiuca5pc6I0Kb_aDuRwePOosAE-XsdB1E1ad0_j5g01W5vzC1k3TgOAtDCIjUxs/s1600/boots2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwR8sGEti_dwKbMWu8cvzIJ6nvSIujA-SOPIWzL4ebhsU1DkBl-YLXHbpmYJ1r1RskP8pnRYsbfAvQiuca5pc6I0Kb_aDuRwePOosAE-XsdB1E1ad0_j5g01W5vzC1k3TgOAtDCIjUxs/s320/boots2.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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Now don’t take that 90% rating as a ding. It’s a totally arbitrary number, and to your eye it might be 99% or even 100%. I think what’s really important here is that the boots absolutely capture the look and style of the boots we see in the first couple appearances of Hoechlin as Superman. The color seems right to my eye too. They are a nice bold red, with darker red accents. The fact that they fit perfectly also adds to their appeal, in my book. I think they are comfortable enough that I could wear them for the day and not end up incapacitated the following day. And believe me, that’s a huge plus.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUHtSK2UlJlkpuLvTEyTycLFk82UkA7c2TehUQYaIudxmFurZWKmM2-2MobWLUpMS4DKGhY0z8A6pcgalGRiHDRDcjQIJE2WjjE-rFae18Migavzg7POKgquyAAOyU1huyYevgicCFvQ/s1600/boots5.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUHtSK2UlJlkpuLvTEyTycLFk82UkA7c2TehUQYaIudxmFurZWKmM2-2MobWLUpMS4DKGhY0z8A6pcgalGRiHDRDcjQIJE2WjjE-rFae18Migavzg7POKgquyAAOyU1huyYevgicCFvQ/s320/boots5.jpg" width="320" height="200" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="500" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUA7iDa4rzZY5Y8Q2V9ob7tqb-voN5h7eqoHE90IOAbVpmEdX1aUO4w1ri727FGEH9S2EnlUM79OjxA980VPfk95cOTb5tJunDp1OHfqDA9tEriHmKqUs2im577c1apoKPCB_1mQNevsU/s1600/boots6.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUA7iDa4rzZY5Y8Q2V9ob7tqb-voN5h7eqoHE90IOAbVpmEdX1aUO4w1ri727FGEH9S2EnlUM79OjxA980VPfk95cOTb5tJunDp1OHfqDA9tEriHmKqUs2im577c1apoKPCB_1mQNevsU/s320/boots6.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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If you’re in the market for a pair of CW Superman boots, I cannot recommend Studio Boheme enough. They were easy to communicate with, were very friendly, delivered the boots within the timeframe they agreed to, and the price was fantastic. They are quality boots, not “budget alternatives” but even then, the price for a pair of fully custom made boots is ridiculously attractive, in my opinion.
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Studio Boheme can also be found on Instagram at studiobohemecosplay.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwGxMq8_vkRoMjK_o5wDoqZSowFwH2YYAuGiSXjYg9HkgVEdAao0-lP-vAIiQac00AjR_gPwD1PhBnRBGujsF5jPLu1tG8QSZHVaHUd7kZKMTgKePlHmFBv2573Rdd5sXNW3ydZMFqho/s1600/boots7.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwGxMq8_vkRoMjK_o5wDoqZSowFwH2YYAuGiSXjYg9HkgVEdAao0-lP-vAIiQac00AjR_gPwD1PhBnRBGujsF5jPLu1tG8QSZHVaHUd7kZKMTgKePlHmFBv2573Rdd5sXNW3ydZMFqho/s320/boots7.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="1067" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCghJXujtpr6Fd61dX_T1WzGZXRoJWnNYU9fFJOiWBkmKL3mehBIBHQsF3CJJdspkW3lbSqlj0kOTBHTbki3EGeH8FKsemhI2j9jCGxYJo2g62oZWP3rdpx5xzad5cb43qeBY-t-DXI4/s1600/boots8.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCghJXujtpr6Fd61dX_T1WzGZXRoJWnNYU9fFJOiWBkmKL3mehBIBHQsF3CJJdspkW3lbSqlj0kOTBHTbki3EGeH8FKsemhI2j9jCGxYJo2g62oZWP3rdpx5xzad5cb43qeBY-t-DXI4/s320/boots8.jpg" width="240" height="320" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="1067" /></a>
MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-7140189484010163972019-03-06T21:07:00.004-08:002019-05-20T09:48:30.670-07:00For Sale! Lots of Pieces From My Collection Are Available.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8Oe926Qq2cd4pjsOe8YVkaNyLSdQry39NsTiHS8D7LGDJycaLOeq7VJoM7BqVq9Dnb8XJDF8tChXv7xx63W8UNUtGyJPZRQLzhRoQyFVvdMkdtEm5gB5hBIVWnegvbIFUDD6y7ExtsE/s1600/0_sale_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8Oe926Qq2cd4pjsOe8YVkaNyLSdQry39NsTiHS8D7LGDJycaLOeq7VJoM7BqVq9Dnb8XJDF8tChXv7xx63W8UNUtGyJPZRQLzhRoQyFVvdMkdtEm5gB5hBIVWnegvbIFUDD6y7ExtsE/s640/0_sale_banner.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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Greetings all. This post is dedicated to all of the items in my collection I am selling. New projects await!
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I will add new things frequently, at the top of the page. So check back occasionally!
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Answers to questions:
<br />
<br />
Unless marked as "SOLD" the item is available.<br />
All prices are in USD.<br />
Shipping costs are not included in sale price, unless specifically mentioned. (This is ideal for folks who want multiple items. The more you buy, the more you save. On shipping)<br />
US only. I do not ship internationally, unless I have an existing relationship/friendship with you. <br />
Payment via paypal, unless otherwise noted.<br />
Don't like the listed price? Make me an offer! Most effective on multi-item purchases.<br />
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$450 - Star Trek Enterprise - Temporal Observatory Device
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one piece, solid resin casting of a very rare piece of Trek history, Daniel's Temporal Observatory Device. This was redressed as a medical scanner for the borg episode too. I have included below a couple of screen grabs of its two incarnations, and some details from memory-alpha.
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Casting is super clean, with a really well registered seam. Very little clean up required along the seam and minimal bubbles and pitting.
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This is one generation out from production molds.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUGrBIUE-Da95HVZHkKmIBTLNptKZwlYR3BU3t7xfLzT9CCX1EhaaGUbevS_dylxTPCNECSmlyeXVurjM7_hcdt3qBSZJr1UtCZiLgDWjXD7345hPexEypbvJXbeZZ-i6o0Jo3ZWA4v0/s1600/scanner1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUGrBIUE-Da95HVZHkKmIBTLNptKZwlYR3BU3t7xfLzT9CCX1EhaaGUbevS_dylxTPCNECSmlyeXVurjM7_hcdt3qBSZJr1UtCZiLgDWjXD7345hPexEypbvJXbeZZ-i6o0Jo3ZWA4v0/s320/scanner1.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWHAkBjbC4vrsRWjk7nn68wXKth2gFf3vrIaRaCB7hzXVJUoaOYZ-MHnM__6Cuww5r-AA2oO0ApB_eVrKwB5xKqUH0Yee5RE5UXH6P5JhWkfgMpm7v-cm5iKYeg9mh8YmKqHVFZgOLO8/s1600/scanner2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWHAkBjbC4vrsRWjk7nn68wXKth2gFf3vrIaRaCB7hzXVJUoaOYZ-MHnM__6Cuww5r-AA2oO0ApB_eVrKwB5xKqUH0Yee5RE5UXH6P5JhWkfgMpm7v-cm5iKYeg9mh8YmKqHVFZgOLO8/s320/scanner2.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqygx_bbt2PXd3cmpRDGxFu3sAR9WpVGBWWtfOo2LhXjOhlphYZSN4W_4A6RjJ_Y-fV0vE85EvSGYztel_oUxPK2pzJpK9dOX71TCra3HyCIjsnYMEDsykO0f4J5h2QYXOfub1MkA1ZVs/s1600/scanner3.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqygx_bbt2PXd3cmpRDGxFu3sAR9WpVGBWWtfOo2LhXjOhlphYZSN4W_4A6RjJ_Y-fV0vE85EvSGYztel_oUxPK2pzJpK9dOX71TCra3HyCIjsnYMEDsykO0f4J5h2QYXOfub1MkA1ZVs/s320/scanner3.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3U9JLBLl5pFsTEtFLXbvijmjwAE_uVTwUWCGFVFiqZbk1w4RXjzKxFHVHkA-MG9r9O_YA3P_LCGBr_AG5izhZML4yDomQ4Q6l5iJaDkLj5-RhGk6DRRVX05MQe6ZRN32FroWNHS4fQU/s1600/scanner4.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3U9JLBLl5pFsTEtFLXbvijmjwAE_uVTwUWCGFVFiqZbk1w4RXjzKxFHVHkA-MG9r9O_YA3P_LCGBr_AG5izhZML4yDomQ4Q6l5iJaDkLj5-RhGk6DRRVX05MQe6ZRN32FroWNHS4fQU/s320/scanner4.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5zQ93Usxas2osUd4n04bVg7d4-w9CGVMYn_Dpa9UxxAu24REd6DdtWlIW6NKLRbRdyMOMWoMyYPjVicqIHywMgBb0Rg-fyE_9FKlc8yGQzy8vlmpbbVdDEBkBArp-izfVXYmkGa74ns/s1600/scanner5.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5zQ93Usxas2osUd4n04bVg7d4-w9CGVMYn_Dpa9UxxAu24REd6DdtWlIW6NKLRbRdyMOMWoMyYPjVicqIHywMgBb0Rg-fyE_9FKlc8yGQzy8vlmpbbVdDEBkBArp-izfVXYmkGa74ns/s320/scanner5.jpg" width="225" height="320" data-original-width="746" data-original-height="1063" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDSNNCUSi36JDcCBvOJoIDHHlRGB8GPe4s04kMcwHDBTqEssBC7Eyug6ZHNQyhuG22L1zx0aHfZJ0388EJXswf9SAJqJ33RQgGW03KA1F5gU9HCB8ZMm81eQXPCib7ZdmzzeZXXYJmY8/s1600/scanner6.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKDSNNCUSi36JDcCBvOJoIDHHlRGB8GPe4s04kMcwHDBTqEssBC7Eyug6ZHNQyhuG22L1zx0aHfZJ0388EJXswf9SAJqJ33RQgGW03KA1F5gU9HCB8ZMm81eQXPCib7ZdmzzeZXXYJmY8/s320/scanner6.jpg" width="227" height="320" data-original-width="749" data-original-height="1058" /></a>
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$35 - Roddenberry.com TOS women's scant pattern, includes blue invisible zipper and sciences insignia patch. Never used.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxyPR1mXYXoCOX1wtggiPDMWMj07Lc5LEM5efhf7V-Z_JuNNObO9YmpgpNMynhMjnhPZagfL0SQf1d72dzMtpEf88I-uj1OVvKuvBCK-OFxoerDbExNLzmm99OQshEruqk893ci29xRs/s1600/pattern1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxyPR1mXYXoCOX1wtggiPDMWMj07Lc5LEM5efhf7V-Z_JuNNObO9YmpgpNMynhMjnhPZagfL0SQf1d72dzMtpEf88I-uj1OVvKuvBCK-OFxoerDbExNLzmm99OQshEruqk893ci29xRs/s320/pattern1.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxGEgTOHgcE0sc7liW59MMkkv1HO7MoB5hzlEpRPEBuD6SzfcmC9DC-JR4iOYPHNdtqcckXDwIr0mj8TNONTSVFSlH3u-AoQggBEu62RgyeFgIFhyOmSMkQ4grj7KoJM_dp74Uu0Af9s/s1600/pattern2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxGEgTOHgcE0sc7liW59MMkkv1HO7MoB5hzlEpRPEBuD6SzfcmC9DC-JR4iOYPHNdtqcckXDwIr0mj8TNONTSVFSlH3u-AoQggBEu62RgyeFgIFhyOmSMkQ4grj7KoJM_dp74Uu0Af9s/s320/pattern2.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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$25 - Roddenberry.com TOS Men's trousers pattern. Never used. Uncut.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbq59EJNkeI65oVG1StEHo4xIqQYrI3r3EGyXNj8ktFBXf7XENok1B7I5S3E_AIBWIiBiqj5TlFeK1wOq8MWnl4h9rh8NdUIzA30WKrtOWkVlpYu11fOPDmMzN4YzsK0tEdocP25NZhLc/s1600/pattern3.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbq59EJNkeI65oVG1StEHo4xIqQYrI3r3EGyXNj8ktFBXf7XENok1B7I5S3E_AIBWIiBiqj5TlFeK1wOq8MWnl4h9rh8NdUIzA30WKrtOWkVlpYu11fOPDmMzN4YzsK0tEdocP25NZhLc/s320/pattern3.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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$600 - Bajoran Rifle - Finished and painted by me. This is in absolute pristine condition. The stock is held in place with a couple of wood screws and can support the weight of the entire piece. A very rare casting that I believe to be finished quite nicely. No weathering. Straight off the assembly line.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Gf0Up0PP09VR6PzXYMXfD9RgDMJBCsrJrzEYzgDGGmQ91gG9zmih66CLG1MgMWJEWXz7DaeX8g25nFBI3xsrKklJ58bXxz2dSHlf4wS2NHBXaocjTiDjavVmNKCKhcwSRPz7XPAHPiA/s1600/bajoran+rifle+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Gf0Up0PP09VR6PzXYMXfD9RgDMJBCsrJrzEYzgDGGmQ91gG9zmih66CLG1MgMWJEWXz7DaeX8g25nFBI3xsrKklJ58bXxz2dSHlf4wS2NHBXaocjTiDjavVmNKCKhcwSRPz7XPAHPiA/s320/bajoran+rifle+1.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wjgvEYU5KaDZQq2EnoD75RdQOHaCD-Gr4RfkPhG-Ri-7NCaYbaLeSoGYpvciOhwKSXbxCxgcWLkDsAXayj7a0aG8z5uTsfQCNssqEwQL-ZehkSqqfh0TjKR86tCBk1_Ol417uQjNue8/s1600/bajoran+rifle+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wjgvEYU5KaDZQq2EnoD75RdQOHaCD-Gr4RfkPhG-Ri-7NCaYbaLeSoGYpvciOhwKSXbxCxgcWLkDsAXayj7a0aG8z5uTsfQCNssqEwQL-ZehkSqqfh0TjKR86tCBk1_Ol417uQjNue8/s320/bajoran+rifle+2.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaVQd7ej4R1OALc5q8wnJK0WbwWKIIcooDU8pOWcVQOf04F31cWb4FQn1j7NnkvryBBQmnsfTs_MblNEW4_pyhMIIJ9BpaOpEN5PsnQzgfK3BtDHvtWksuDQlh3j9d7OTHRcu7LYmlLo/s1600/bajoran+rifle+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaVQd7ej4R1OALc5q8wnJK0WbwWKIIcooDU8pOWcVQOf04F31cWb4FQn1j7NnkvryBBQmnsfTs_MblNEW4_pyhMIIJ9BpaOpEN5PsnQzgfK3BtDHvtWksuDQlh3j9d7OTHRcu7LYmlLo/s320/bajoran+rifle+3.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8cMrz165NQ666IxrI-QZV4L5Vf8WG8RinUQlLQcBxxoInUIX2eWOpMlFUb3Y0H_i2o_OrthMsASwb5ZIE-8w85_gQKhOYnXNTaU-gL2MN1YTK9jL1hiPjZ_eDDi_sQEP9b4YS9-5OI0/s1600/bajoran+rifle+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8cMrz165NQ666IxrI-QZV4L5Vf8WG8RinUQlLQcBxxoInUIX2eWOpMlFUb3Y0H_i2o_OrthMsASwb5ZIE-8w85_gQKhOYnXNTaU-gL2MN1YTK9jL1hiPjZ_eDDi_sQEP9b4YS9-5OI0/s320/bajoran+rifle+4.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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$600 - The Rocketeer - Hughes Industries Worlds Fair Folio.
This was made by an RPF member many years ago and is an absolute work of art through and through. Includes everything seen below and a few things that aren't pictured.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLCMeDvga2omxkPqM9CT3odZc1-eeehjnMDT9eDIYA-EXVmQZIqREOwAAqX_wpv4ayfyUV6Zna_VjRdNlaipexGW9HuyHccZMXxGi4igVqT467INEdl0i70n93j8g2F8Sw9hkFrBrbOM/s1600/rocketeer+book+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLCMeDvga2omxkPqM9CT3odZc1-eeehjnMDT9eDIYA-EXVmQZIqREOwAAqX_wpv4ayfyUV6Zna_VjRdNlaipexGW9HuyHccZMXxGi4igVqT467INEdl0i70n93j8g2F8Sw9hkFrBrbOM/s320/rocketeer+book+1.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrR6XSXvroVrbokFLujRnSA_mTX_De3nq-H5Vt12M7BAi1T1eLwgYRE1RMgwS264sdC6ic9_8BsdGJzUQBG8FJcDnbdl65wueZ27qe-kw0MlwBvXyeAXp7HzmfVa-wauMJMnoz7tsfJ6A/s1600/rocketeer+book+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrR6XSXvroVrbokFLujRnSA_mTX_De3nq-H5Vt12M7BAi1T1eLwgYRE1RMgwS264sdC6ic9_8BsdGJzUQBG8FJcDnbdl65wueZ27qe-kw0MlwBvXyeAXp7HzmfVa-wauMJMnoz7tsfJ6A/s320/rocketeer+book+2.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl29vTF9-kfSwtTjjPtki__dUQY3HpgDtFRaHhinGUWNKdiZmILzLDuu97RT_nC3kqq0O6-xQcibvsa0fzW5rL0I-iuHSp1UQ_gcpcr2yfGMUlPSIxTukwUJ0KJ7I7IK6JRSjVt16NVU8/s1600/rocketeer+book+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl29vTF9-kfSwtTjjPtki__dUQY3HpgDtFRaHhinGUWNKdiZmILzLDuu97RT_nC3kqq0O6-xQcibvsa0fzW5rL0I-iuHSp1UQ_gcpcr2yfGMUlPSIxTukwUJ0KJ7I7IK6JRSjVt16NVU8/s320/rocketeer+book+3.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxQOf8V_sjjL284V7jlqLjbw1nmTiMR-QNnyMD-ifqDOAr7-wvYbYPwEWsFiQat-bmNCY5TZbmcvpg_ruVvwimVewSLeU4mceL_nQR-GYtPzcfG3d0XsumMHRQpqjOC4MzpOPrynngp8/s1600/rocketeer+book+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxQOf8V_sjjL284V7jlqLjbw1nmTiMR-QNnyMD-ifqDOAr7-wvYbYPwEWsFiQat-bmNCY5TZbmcvpg_ruVvwimVewSLeU4mceL_nQR-GYtPzcfG3d0XsumMHRQpqjOC4MzpOPrynngp8/s320/rocketeer+book+4.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrm7FH79FpFLhlor4OSkSX_4gRY-RmqK9IfzKEFlPiLCEiuoTb2Lm-Lw_N5VR-G2eYo0qQObdn1k6bcZTKXTYrKUdmy4dren3DGehp-bO4DJ8IpJ-ntLgLlGEpy8LjlZfUPxt6yCJQxk/s1600/rocketter+book+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrm7FH79FpFLhlor4OSkSX_4gRY-RmqK9IfzKEFlPiLCEiuoTb2Lm-Lw_N5VR-G2eYo0qQObdn1k6bcZTKXTYrKUdmy4dren3DGehp-bO4DJ8IpJ-ntLgLlGEpy8LjlZfUPxt6yCJQxk/s320/rocketter+book+3.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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$450 - ZF1 Pod - Raw casting, rotocast. includes stand as a separate piece. I will throw in a free casting of the ZF1 remote too. What a bargain!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fyIgtFe_rtOIPSUI-r6LWD-_YdC_FFKu9Bj3XX4E8QX8J-QudaFN-8n7VeQfo2rrRRhkaUO8eSOGmxvEbncJD06Hz8qvAXgGsc0mjAabBOngi1NC1sii9HNOrHkqxvOvkMa33ke_AcI/s1600/zf1+pod.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fyIgtFe_rtOIPSUI-r6LWD-_YdC_FFKu9Bj3XX4E8QX8J-QudaFN-8n7VeQfo2rrRRhkaUO8eSOGmxvEbncJD06Hz8qvAXgGsc0mjAabBOngi1NC1sii9HNOrHkqxvOvkMa33ke_AcI/s320/zf1+pod.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3j03miR7fld1TpcEQjOUiYWVtLhsgluN7pw6XxNA81zKnC5uHbklbTIUw6E7o22zlZkZSM414Sq54P-HnvwqjnpFb99zoyYDpjQ8m7znCi_YAICCVKBFgTffIoOeg9_rcR8cCiSy6Qo/s1600/zf1+buttons.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3j03miR7fld1TpcEQjOUiYWVtLhsgluN7pw6XxNA81zKnC5uHbklbTIUw6E7o22zlZkZSM414Sq54P-HnvwqjnpFb99zoyYDpjQ8m7znCi_YAICCVKBFgTffIoOeg9_rcR8cCiSy6Qo/s320/zf1+buttons.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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$25 - Batman 89 Spear gun dart. Just add an aluminum rod and a little paint, and you're ready to save gotham!<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiDZ8eFPBWmpF-810OYob28oneT49eIDMRBsKbtHPkflDT8upcpykv8JsD4EudFVnwj5S2_eQd1LXSjciREvNW1ne8hFGW3JS-sqnBxv3RG6oL0vguY4LbDNfNpVMsQF68n_DQa3RWgE/s1600/89+dart.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiDZ8eFPBWmpF-810OYob28oneT49eIDMRBsKbtHPkflDT8upcpykv8JsD4EudFVnwj5S2_eQd1LXSjciREvNW1ne8hFGW3JS-sqnBxv3RG6oL0vguY4LbDNfNpVMsQF68n_DQa3RWgE/s320/89+dart.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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$150 - Munson made Arkham Grapple Gun Kit - Many moons ago I made a video series where I showed every phase of production on this piece. I recently found some extra castings of two half built kits. All these need is a final assembly and some paint, and they're ready to go.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwMzwk9ptkjBVhlLObbvH-DiNumQqyLGemhGR386LqtF6qa69SmpnTJWjLygUIdwPKMz89FcdBeegGGHG-uReGhYIlveC1zQDc3QGXztwK2LMVsyXVDxjFqdgl0NloRJYvaSt-Lxk8_k/s1600/arkham+grapple.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwMzwk9ptkjBVhlLObbvH-DiNumQqyLGemhGR386LqtF6qa69SmpnTJWjLygUIdwPKMz89FcdBeegGGHG-uReGhYIlveC1zQDc3QGXztwK2LMVsyXVDxjFqdgl0NloRJYvaSt-Lxk8_k/s320/arkham+grapple.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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$15 - Made for production "Batgirl: Spoiled" mini-rangs. Seen clearly on screen in the opening shots pretty clearly.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RZuQQqjwemD_Oi6QAvnUwgv3VbpZsUE9iPswtQA7Gn02vhWdoRLZME6cfqqcPj3H0diuNxxn3rqKe5QDHe0L5EX1MqIBRRFC_2NZCdqX1D_u3B5IO5ANKwA46jswT8OlMyz-gxn8rls/s1600/batgirl+mini+rangs.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RZuQQqjwemD_Oi6QAvnUwgv3VbpZsUE9iPswtQA7Gn02vhWdoRLZME6cfqqcPj3H0diuNxxn3rqKe5QDHe0L5EX1MqIBRRFC_2NZCdqX1D_u3B5IO5ANKwA46jswT8OlMyz-gxn8rls/s320/batgirl+mini+rangs.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$40 - DaVinci Code prop. From the collection of Adam Savage. I got this in trade a while back, took it out of the box once. Put it back in upside down.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ52xdOZWHazna1kt76TEMl7NHYzI0yBT4XrAcBVmk1W_qjZnF2kJK-5B5o8ybj3kWxVbIvtz-anSQS7M-UCmI7qBMI6TQ39bnuJMXQJOR7n9oL0OCofWqNNF7S6IKmvECEHdBRvTUIvU/s1600/codex.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ52xdOZWHazna1kt76TEMl7NHYzI0yBT4XrAcBVmk1W_qjZnF2kJK-5B5o8ybj3kWxVbIvtz-anSQS7M-UCmI7qBMI6TQ39bnuJMXQJOR7n9oL0OCofWqNNF7S6IKmvECEHdBRvTUIvU/s320/codex.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$125 - very rare Bajoran "Derringer" as seen in an episode or 2 of DS9. Beautiful paint job, ready to be displayed or used to usurp your fascist overseers.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnBYRtq8KRjTPZCCAhyphenhyphen5ECH20x_2TMSz9TwIMnj4jZpLJUtFlGIu7Ljh-xsR8sXDXM5ae8153GU9sS3C3zCZDMjOKZD0geANsoW1hFEENH60HD-lqSdYmU1hRQF3ugTZHX-gVvfC5tbs/s1600/derringer.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnBYRtq8KRjTPZCCAhyphenhyphen5ECH20x_2TMSz9TwIMnj4jZpLJUtFlGIu7Ljh-xsR8sXDXM5ae8153GU9sS3C3zCZDMjOKZD0geANsoW1hFEENH60HD-lqSdYmU1hRQF3ugTZHX-gVvfC5tbs/s320/derringer.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$50 - "Earth 2" made for production ship panel. Includes the smoked plex insert.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwlO3UhThrIUfRRuqgFFrsMrjK8vf_tMt53Rl2c8mfo7ynC24DnKgT4aVptq2PUlYQnx3-dXEhiP86z-nPjYVtjkUn9Hot7pLYtDtdTeqPARFeCXnxsgkY6Xhcm06CjZl-jTrQxmmPnc/s1600/earth+2+panel.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwlO3UhThrIUfRRuqgFFrsMrjK8vf_tMt53Rl2c8mfo7ynC24DnKgT4aVptq2PUlYQnx3-dXEhiP86z-nPjYVtjkUn9Hot7pLYtDtdTeqPARFeCXnxsgkY6Xhcm06CjZl-jTrQxmmPnc/s320/earth+2+panel.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$225 - Hirojin Pistol - Another super rare gem from Voyager, the seldom seen hirojin pistol that went on to appear in Enterprise as a few different weapons, including a vulcan phaser.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyYIt6MLBOHhwzZA1ZnZUU5RhG0uYNhmXMn1Lqf8AkHJX3TZnokplMTUS50LUEM-h6AtQgTsWDap0dZ1pYYOeycFEIq0yO6yybXtfVPB69LQdN-FaCxv1_aj-_dJuSbnF1063eNPPprE/s1600/hirojin+pistol.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyYIt6MLBOHhwzZA1ZnZUU5RhG0uYNhmXMn1Lqf8AkHJX3TZnokplMTUS50LUEM-h6AtQgTsWDap0dZ1pYYOeycFEIq0yO6yybXtfVPB69LQdN-FaCxv1_aj-_dJuSbnF1063eNPPprE/s320/hirojin+pistol.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$40 - Bajoran/Alien padd.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqWJvu1m_ZHtS_RDTib5zhTL2Y0-qs_7ujY6A8EDXzJPVUoPJYlu_VcwkT-v3v6cAIoqw03GkNgKa-tH8BbOGiiojcq5TqRmvX76lxJAneTgiBavSj9RZdycVD7CSbpCi9aTtlGBoNao/s1600/IMG_7418.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqWJvu1m_ZHtS_RDTib5zhTL2Y0-qs_7ujY6A8EDXzJPVUoPJYlu_VcwkT-v3v6cAIoqw03GkNgKa-tH8BbOGiiojcq5TqRmvX76lxJAneTgiBavSj9RZdycVD7CSbpCi9aTtlGBoNao/s320/IMG_7418.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a>
<P>
$70 - Made for production Jem H'Dar costume detail piece. I used to know what this was, but have since forgotten. I want to say it goes on the arm somewhere.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6LTeJpIpWWGBOwFO3n560s9ORQydgw3IRZoxu4tHaurDw1jv_7IsACURXlyBqIWG3nQR-GD0khZTJOz0TEwkSDpTXN8uaw33kFAJuDkLy1SBhI65C5mteNpeSeZ5Bq6j8adfVYcI1m0/s1600/jem+hdar+costume+piece.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6LTeJpIpWWGBOwFO3n560s9ORQydgw3IRZoxu4tHaurDw1jv_7IsACURXlyBqIWG3nQR-GD0khZTJOz0TEwkSDpTXN8uaw33kFAJuDkLy1SBhI65C5mteNpeSeZ5Bq6j8adfVYcI1m0/s320/jem+hdar+costume+piece.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$150 - Star Trek Enterprise Klingon Dagger - From production molds, this is the dagger used at the end of the pilot to slice the Klingons hand. The one pictured is not the exact one for sale. It's grey, one piece. But of the same lineage as the one pictured.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7R6Q43QmWoF7nywnZUKijCflQFKf6fq6047x_H53I7kej5lPpNC7j5BtZ1yPyu5y0Yzgyvn9VRfyRsqeYjDDAD_xx63LO8IaMZ4sYpL-M3fwEjXFRFTmhCDicfPAWdTE57sQ2-bTX8U/s1600/klingon+dagger.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7R6Q43QmWoF7nywnZUKijCflQFKf6fq6047x_H53I7kej5lPpNC7j5BtZ1yPyu5y0Yzgyvn9VRfyRsqeYjDDAD_xx63LO8IaMZ4sYpL-M3fwEjXFRFTmhCDicfPAWdTE57sQ2-bTX8U/s320/klingon+dagger.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$75 - Enterprise Phase Pistol. This is an interesting piece. From the talented hands of Mark Worley. Metal nozzle, and so is the thing underneath it and the oval piece on the body. This was made from screen grabs of the unreleased pilot. I consider this a fascinating piece of trek fandom history :D
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSHifk1r4t310dDhB3f_8Guayg_PiGhBdI3EpDU8q8gjRggw8tVnV07BvUTqzHbp3Wbth0FOqIr5kDOvniY8143r6-yZqmnFc4LCKnKWzLppDfbvNo04MJlC3qduMCVCkmguMr-91pBo/s1600/mw+phase+pistol.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSHifk1r4t310dDhB3f_8Guayg_PiGhBdI3EpDU8q8gjRggw8tVnV07BvUTqzHbp3Wbth0FOqIr5kDOvniY8143r6-yZqmnFc4LCKnKWzLppDfbvNo04MJlC3qduMCVCkmguMr-91pBo/s320/mw+phase+pistol.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$15 - Rubies BvS grapple gun. No mods or paint.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvB0KdjbJelkxzR_-KlL2JjxGP-B_nIfiaatS5hh3FHlKQ-MuXzSWyir4EiUw3GBiJ1renXqLOmS6jp9f7T5rMM5BreHZIlmjh_byYqerAkLx2wPch_fLOqb65VMt30a_yszVJly2hxdo/s1600/rubies+grapple.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvB0KdjbJelkxzR_-KlL2JjxGP-B_nIfiaatS5hh3FHlKQ-MuXzSWyir4EiUw3GBiJ1renXqLOmS6jp9f7T5rMM5BreHZIlmjh_byYqerAkLx2wPch_fLOqb65VMt30a_yszVJly2hxdo/s320/rubies+grapple.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$175 - Enterprise T'Pol scanner. Missing a side switch and the battery cover, simple to fabricate though. A couple bubbles on the face but otherwise a beautiful casting.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY63TT_iAMViAFk6VQwUu4EUDtX8ncMZGc9QH14FpMP1FjdRZchbeNgOU79mCU_Cyb3Tkf1vin0U3pVUCo9RcBL9yGG65q5Z6B2MbUrwyqdxkb7eHrmuXUsCEW3NqV0W98P-lpyL_CDeo/s1600/tpol+scanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY63TT_iAMViAFk6VQwUu4EUDtX8ncMZGc9QH14FpMP1FjdRZchbeNgOU79mCU_Cyb3Tkf1vin0U3pVUCo9RcBL9yGG65q5Z6B2MbUrwyqdxkb7eHrmuXUsCEW3NqV0W98P-lpyL_CDeo/s320/tpol+scanner.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$50 - Voy small padd - This was made by me from one of the laser cut kits I used to sell, years and years ago. Very clean, and totally symmetrical, unlike the screen used ones.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVV7WipzzAngEr2LmV1eGurz8ttn69U7TbpNMhro0ZYvKLU9vmIib1tsC-Fp86Ows497KLMrc_xeOOiL30-lfhUjwRlwXaLeAHHYAzLK7ujUNN9EMlj-9C8Y7hhTYXp0WWspf0PGJd2ZU/s1600/voyager+padd+by+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVV7WipzzAngEr2LmV1eGurz8ttn69U7TbpNMhro0ZYvKLU9vmIib1tsC-Fp86Ows497KLMrc_xeOOiL30-lfhUjwRlwXaLeAHHYAzLK7ujUNN9EMlj-9C8Y7hhTYXp0WWspf0PGJd2ZU/s320/voyager+padd+by+me.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$60 - Wonder Woman Tiara - 3d printed, coated with a blast of primer. Great piece! Really wonderfully modelled.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTUQGyjfV9zh82ac9o9gDm1Qhii8UqQzCLw3HIVBJ3i4EUbgSrpqMbh7D5tdCoZMEHIxO4V7fX5U_5EiiAHdJjJkIDe6U1TP01J9zrfzwS1bHDW4AA2Muh5Q1_tqQHWXQ75CVdPfehek/s1600/ww+tiara.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTUQGyjfV9zh82ac9o9gDm1Qhii8UqQzCLw3HIVBJ3i4EUbgSrpqMbh7D5tdCoZMEHIxO4V7fX5U_5EiiAHdJjJkIDe6U1TP01J9zrfzwS1bHDW4AA2Muh5Q1_tqQHWXQ75CVdPfehek/s320/ww+tiara.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$45 - Blade Runner Zhora Polaroid. Boy I remember the stink this one caused years ago. oy. Comes with the display stand as seen. This is totally ready to be placed on your Blade Runner collection shelf!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGe1xDnxY8ZRMiNph75HqdjeQdZBzQ6FJJS9for3re_2VLypeRtT34HSMVKpTDk81572oy2oSZWJi_fLelAPkpsmDWk84AiCDN0cusjs8NJQm5pizsYOB4UAgBPf7S0jP2zx876pkG2TI/s1600/zhora+polariod.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGe1xDnxY8ZRMiNph75HqdjeQdZBzQ6FJJS9for3re_2VLypeRtT34HSMVKpTDk81572oy2oSZWJi_fLelAPkpsmDWk84AiCDN0cusjs8NJQm5pizsYOB4UAgBPf7S0jP2zx876pkG2TI/s320/zhora+polariod.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>$45 - Batman forever style batarang. You can see this style of rang on the weapons wall in the bat cave during the suit up sequence.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzaPWaPorSd-RnBo9lwxYnZMWgvCZmL2RCYzfDsI_xp7Q3DiI83x-87ItfsHNMqNoKTytXg1lgH6APEJ5cx2ubjmxQqNLs1V_D-ZNmS_awR_olR8ceiIC27rDPvbREPhSB2DSG9GPfGo/s1600/forever+rang.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzaPWaPorSd-RnBo9lwxYnZMWgvCZmL2RCYzfDsI_xp7Q3DiI83x-87ItfsHNMqNoKTytXg1lgH6APEJ5cx2ubjmxQqNLs1V_D-ZNmS_awR_olR8ceiIC27rDPvbREPhSB2DSG9GPfGo/s400/forever+rang.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$60 - Keaton Batmobile Frizbee. Rotocast.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Q9jpNqPGh6XCs6M-fGjf4WwCfoJ0ZRiSVKdX4EFtylmk4vKUlBLwAoaDFWk_qh9IBnWCfP7FvkNKC0LH2vPpNQ7a3qJqL-aP5eqVnFksQrOZmx4T_qIQQ9GrNAZWQcV6NwuJmh0mNsY/s1600/frizbee.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Q9jpNqPGh6XCs6M-fGjf4WwCfoJ0ZRiSVKdX4EFtylmk4vKUlBLwAoaDFWk_qh9IBnWCfP7FvkNKC0LH2vPpNQ7a3qJqL-aP5eqVnFksQrOZmx4T_qIQQ9GrNAZWQcV6NwuJmh0mNsY/s400/frizbee.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$40 - Star Trek Enterprise IDIC. One generation out from real deal.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0O5_Yc4kdX4xjFb_r5dTIQBUI6E_ABrBfXbAgbOhRu5Tnl0avn9P8eOO4VbsG_oa9xNVLefJ2p6bzgWtapsTK90KDfObJL-VGJn7d6aHHaFtj1oqtpcWS2Jb9B9C1WeZL9RrqMz-O6d4/s1600/idic.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0O5_Yc4kdX4xjFb_r5dTIQBUI6E_ABrBfXbAgbOhRu5Tnl0avn9P8eOO4VbsG_oa9xNVLefJ2p6bzgWtapsTK90KDfObJL-VGJn7d6aHHaFtj1oqtpcWS2Jb9B9C1WeZL9RrqMz-O6d4/s400/idic.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$100 - Star Trek Continues Phaser - Made for production.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2qTUFiNyZasBPJIjKcJvEynXOJwwLB3UGGfIriscqIiubinsOUSkNrg0RoQYEllpcWb77zmtzFWqUaTr_KNpKm2T3bnSUHPKMqjG3cwclAFLfluLeKAbRPvOZfiZVDJDS3VX1Yk1790/s1600/phaser.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2qTUFiNyZasBPJIjKcJvEynXOJwwLB3UGGfIriscqIiubinsOUSkNrg0RoQYEllpcWb77zmtzFWqUaTr_KNpKm2T3bnSUHPKMqjG3cwclAFLfluLeKAbRPvOZfiZVDJDS3VX1Yk1790/s400/phaser.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$20 - Blade Runner Tyrell Building studio scale elevator.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZv6IV-K2N4NiYMsZ4lrCX3SV7mKfHfrcMJio_vBgZOz7kaenHM1st9jPEHdErt3otksJvBkiE9eJvlxyNY0JeQqFaZSd9hq2Y97VmLLBcZHX8Do-DyQbtfufsYkcFzZr8MVQMHFlc6rY/s1600/tyrell+elevator.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZv6IV-K2N4NiYMsZ4lrCX3SV7mKfHfrcMJio_vBgZOz7kaenHM1st9jPEHdErt3otksJvBkiE9eJvlxyNY0JeQqFaZSd9hq2Y97VmLLBcZHX8Do-DyQbtfufsYkcFzZr8MVQMHFlc6rY/s400/tyrell+elevator.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$10 - Latinum strip, all three for 25.<BR>
$15 - Small scale federation comm badge<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLqh__qv67cudtBcdgWB6WMZ43YANmRduojIt88MuhkY7eLlyxmSgvRPNpBejSEYpAJBGOlY_0FdZ2s9qIeNQjjHUAr_mNd9403HSXW_HfupxC1fEhFMi8lq83eXsoN_-onWHMkJGp5o/s1600/latinum+strips.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLqh__qv67cudtBcdgWB6WMZ43YANmRduojIt88MuhkY7eLlyxmSgvRPNpBejSEYpAJBGOlY_0FdZ2s9qIeNQjjHUAr_mNd9403HSXW_HfupxC1fEhFMi8lq83eXsoN_-onWHMkJGp5o/s400/latinum+strips.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$350 - Blade Runner Syd Mead concept blaster. Unpainted. Beautiful piece in beautiful condition.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilvIQ71cshCVbfsvyMUm-1kA8Yys2qyqCT89DXS7XSj9tlBQU04LctE_tPOFw9ilSmATs7kOf23YF5WmzkVvn36o8gWM1PI0D_CBzOoOYaamfzj2_VDf3IDIC6-FtxB_GiyOKzVSHXvS0/s1600/morgan+br.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilvIQ71cshCVbfsvyMUm-1kA8Yys2qyqCT89DXS7XSj9tlBQU04LctE_tPOFw9ilSmATs7kOf23YF5WmzkVvn36o8gWM1PI0D_CBzOoOYaamfzj2_VDf3IDIC6-FtxB_GiyOKzVSHXvS0/s400/morgan+br.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$45 - TOS Phaser 2 kit. I think this is a JLong kit.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXI2aXB8E8rYtxR9pxs84TeQ2x5xpd2LcLD-PX5QQ9QNdmt6WaB7BIAXAr5D5tEmAMCrIJhDu4DNkjaWaRiSstxKsU5dFaY16A_ddPiEpI9WvESCmuY8GepO0yCB97chxs994tieGOt8/s1600/phaser+2+kit.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGXI2aXB8E8rYtxR9pxs84TeQ2x5xpd2LcLD-PX5QQ9QNdmt6WaB7BIAXAr5D5tEmAMCrIJhDu4DNkjaWaRiSstxKsU5dFaY16A_ddPiEpI9WvESCmuY8GepO0yCB97chxs994tieGOt8/s400/phaser+2+kit.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$150 - Robocop Airsoft gun. No accessories included. I have not gassed this up in many years. I cannot say for certain that it still functions as it should, but it did last time I messed with it. Got this from japan.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEyHFmxKpkfFU8Bn4oBYQLouOLojEqeivgcdWhlnTPC3XwtJ-Q-uawHBRjy6lkM_sZ8_skA_padnvSkFqbfNMKOXRZH3Zxk5Gkc5JmeZSH3FA0KcD0oi0RlpXGCN3BsY7gffyh4GDYAs/s1600/robocop.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEyHFmxKpkfFU8Bn4oBYQLouOLojEqeivgcdWhlnTPC3XwtJ-Q-uawHBRjy6lkM_sZ8_skA_padnvSkFqbfNMKOXRZH3Zxk5Gkc5JmeZSH3FA0KcD0oi0RlpXGCN3BsY7gffyh4GDYAs/s400/robocop.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$15 - Star Trek TNG Klingon costume detail pieces.
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLj_kTI84kKmpQ_qFEMEaKjH20aPQ6yT1tKm8f0H4IFYwPO1SenltkhYX5hpe2U5miWC7G6SDPsLpOVB0Dl55vyIC2W7yQF3sSJWVnM8NiXqzdZIgEj66p20joaeB6IB00jn9KspyRWU/s1600/romulan+costume+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLj_kTI84kKmpQ_qFEMEaKjH20aPQ6yT1tKm8f0H4IFYwPO1SenltkhYX5hpe2U5miWC7G6SDPsLpOVB0Dl55vyIC2W7yQF3sSJWVnM8NiXqzdZIgEj66p20joaeB6IB00jn9KspyRWU/s400/romulan+costume+detail.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$150 - Star Trek Enteriprise Suliban hand phaser. This is the second gen style of this phaser. The ones seen in the pilot had a weird, coral- like finish on them, which I guess the actors didn't like holding onto. So they switched to the smooth one. This is a repaint of a "Dirty Pair" toy gun that was seen on earlier trek shows also.
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYHwWbFxrLsLyGxyhyphenhyphenv_sj4axew6daipPzmxVsqauylZyxEqkspkWgL-OfuD0oLuv1EJDwLoA7C1UUh1fx9tLfTvTuwaM0wsm1gnSmhabNUpRiVrtHfzTV8t2Op7eSKIptb9ZF8wnj60/s1600/suliban+phaser.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYHwWbFxrLsLyGxyhyphenhyphenv_sj4axew6daipPzmxVsqauylZyxEqkspkWgL-OfuD0oLuv1EJDwLoA7C1UUh1fx9tLfTvTuwaM0wsm1gnSmhabNUpRiVrtHfzTV8t2Op7eSKIptb9ZF8wnj60/s400/suliban+phaser.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$75 - Star Trek TMP Entprise bridge miniature casting. This is a real deal casting. Not production used.
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_9P2WvaHL4oGvtRzW_DZMhoTA0GrMT0e3Olb0HBo1wfGJWlQ-OVW5Ylv1D4m59mRz6_he1HgURJYYbvJDvm_C0i7aUPe1Lko2VZSHOU_VJA2Nqgyd19Vhtjs83rwwnGGEuFsHINKqB4/s1600/tmp+enterprise+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_9P2WvaHL4oGvtRzW_DZMhoTA0GrMT0e3Olb0HBo1wfGJWlQ-OVW5Ylv1D4m59mRz6_he1HgURJYYbvJDvm_C0i7aUPe1Lko2VZSHOU_VJA2Nqgyd19Vhtjs83rwwnGGEuFsHINKqB4/s400/tmp+enterprise+bridge.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
<P>
$50 - Star Trek Enterprise PADD back. This is a casting of a production made padd, but only the back half. I used it as reference to build my replica a few years ago. This is not a fan made piece.
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHE8ALn1g8d3TZbDTaKECZpbho_5zorSDY-0vBtui4W-OyO-7idSk1Xc2eFd0K5YH9KvlnxIWhBqxiExsdiZNoShaRsdDqtfzkD75OH-lPVLXaFmK-w9oE1vV8u65vsSOto2qGkink8E/s1600/enterprise+padd+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHE8ALn1g8d3TZbDTaKECZpbho_5zorSDY-0vBtui4W-OyO-7idSk1Xc2eFd0K5YH9KvlnxIWhBqxiExsdiZNoShaRsdDqtfzkD75OH-lPVLXaFmK-w9oE1vV8u65vsSOto2qGkink8E/s400/enterprise+padd+back.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$20 - Gold press latinum bar<BR>
$15 - Farscape com badge<BR>
$15 - Smallville Button<BR>
$10 - Trek Klingon costume detail pieces. <BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqValABm70MJuG4aB5jd60qgHvo6WHpdkXg7osTtGKEMXcBjWZwkK9AZtByPHA0MHTY2dTg1YWTgN3bLPuahXs_UZtGM4J1BLIHMeZSc7i-_P8JYd9cYfO-FBJcW49yocNYBP6gbE3FU/s1600/farscape+latinum+smallville.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJqValABm70MJuG4aB5jd60qgHvo6WHpdkXg7osTtGKEMXcBjWZwkK9AZtByPHA0MHTY2dTg1YWTgN3bLPuahXs_UZtGM4J1BLIHMeZSc7i-_P8JYd9cYfO-FBJcW49yocNYBP6gbE3FU/s400/farscape+latinum+smallville.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$200 - Malcolm Reynolds pistol. This is the Serenity version. Beautiful casting, real deal. Painted by Jason Eaton. The thumbscrews are missing but I will include a set of two unpainted resin ones, not pictured.
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4cPssCjLYRXDw63RSF7_noTVUVlg7Or4CcHNYGfUw_YbwsAykmZoy_Q15oN4L6duZHQ_uZWxjrDQE1RZtW_vvMDs7OiBxp9K_EhYIJ3W9GOCVnO40ltg05JKqMn_VkJLP3blp2W3po0/s1600/firefly.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4cPssCjLYRXDw63RSF7_noTVUVlg7Or4CcHNYGfUw_YbwsAykmZoy_Q15oN4L6duZHQ_uZWxjrDQE1RZtW_vvMDs7OiBxp9K_EhYIJ3W9GOCVnO40ltg05JKqMn_VkJLP3blp2W3po0/s400/firefly.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
Placeholder - I have a JLONG phaser kit for sale, these are some of the parts.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOR1SUHvDO5wNLjg0OJtntYUbE3XKcUoaVaQPI7yet7orEOamKx5UNsJzJ0YZE6rujvYGYXWD3rBAgiqHuhBJZhrV8m2ZJ9wVoN-TOXJWIcX49SL9Q9dVaecYSCWALnI4Wg3KxsjxEB4/s1600/jlong+phaser+parts.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOR1SUHvDO5wNLjg0OJtntYUbE3XKcUoaVaQPI7yet7orEOamKx5UNsJzJ0YZE6rujvYGYXWD3rBAgiqHuhBJZhrV8m2ZJ9wVoN-TOXJWIcX49SL9Q9dVaecYSCWALnI4Wg3KxsjxEB4/s400/jlong+phaser+parts.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoNj5kwYNQeqibMOlSYSf7AYRzWF5d7qdOcs9bsCYMi7EoCNMLtv9_SAmCeMYRJEJCXLKhKPAPuscZ5uwn6JnXlPSHe_Ixi_NmJb6IPPRXUMdvkNMzE-yfDIaAqw_xJOLTna8SkjRW2k/s1600/jtk+comm+pieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoNj5kwYNQeqibMOlSYSf7AYRzWF5d7qdOcs9bsCYMi7EoCNMLtv9_SAmCeMYRJEJCXLKhKPAPuscZ5uwn6JnXlPSHe_Ixi_NmJb6IPPRXUMdvkNMzE-yfDIaAqw_xJOLTna8SkjRW2k/s400/jtk+comm+pieces.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$60 - Star Trek TNG Geordi Laforge engineering padd. (White resin casting of the piece pictured)
<BR>.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXM0g0rw33yYbJYxDmBjGkAex2PR5ubqUnfY2EyD-DorRWyA9D_VVx3bNuVTiL5K-ftoTJ9PnAb7MCna5ouIvJDveMp8KyUB8I_IbVsiup5i59E0s7nmhuBMlm8ibZ5n92emo5UTPn0i8/s1600/geordi+padd.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXM0g0rw33yYbJYxDmBjGkAex2PR5ubqUnfY2EyD-DorRWyA9D_VVx3bNuVTiL5K-ftoTJ9PnAb7MCna5ouIvJDveMp8KyUB8I_IbVsiup5i59E0s7nmhuBMlm8ibZ5n92emo5UTPn0i8/s320/geordi+padd.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$30 - Madkatz game controller. This was used as the base for the phaser used in the Star Trek Voyager episode "Drive". I started modding it, but then got ahold of a casting of the real deal so I didn't need this one.
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdqhOICmpv0zj-EssrQjr56tbZ1kH8wO4Y0vh8A5ugUp0bePSsYDQJSKAH7HIHDUg1aPdwiJd29cGF9Dho3vzggxJiJqvbaf_1xr7N7u4a7Gcntzqp-4cLQlHKsuY178RP25qKUq0Ync/s1600/madkatz1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdqhOICmpv0zj-EssrQjr56tbZ1kH8wO4Y0vh8A5ugUp0bePSsYDQJSKAH7HIHDUg1aPdwiJd29cGF9Dho3vzggxJiJqvbaf_1xr7N7u4a7Gcntzqp-4cLQlHKsuY178RP25qKUq0Ync/s320/madkatz1.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$75 - Nemesis tricorder. This is the front half of the body, does not include the flip up top. This is a real deal casting.
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinwfd0WvZ6r4WvFpLwQdKvDxU-gphWbavUz1skBa3hynlBJJhyl1kF5sNkNcMgvNMHvggw_MPmJSh-mpH7D3bDMwmxh6PFjRUEYL292ikAcpHoovemCbF5T68XGPBZIgLxBMvDBlwauQg/s1600/nemesis.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinwfd0WvZ6r4WvFpLwQdKvDxU-gphWbavUz1skBa3hynlBJJhyl1kF5sNkNcMgvNMHvggw_MPmJSh-mpH7D3bDMwmxh6PFjRUEYL292ikAcpHoovemCbF5T68XGPBZIgLxBMvDBlwauQg/s320/nemesis.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$60 - Star Trek DS9 Small Padd. I think this is the Jake Sisko writing padd. (White resin casting of the piece pictured)
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXb44m9tl3RaDpUhEuZ5xfZbQdj712nHPZSNHb6gwT8Yu64Q84gyW6xJVIRO-y1R8NLbroJSAHZV3OlL8S2AlFW1gtmn2IfHebZkTaePc20zX-0tcaLR7-bcUScqxd7xG6sVYLDNMENk/s1600/small_padd1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXb44m9tl3RaDpUhEuZ5xfZbQdj712nHPZSNHb6gwT8Yu64Q84gyW6xJVIRO-y1R8NLbroJSAHZV3OlL8S2AlFW1gtmn2IfHebZkTaePc20zX-0tcaLR7-bcUScqxd7xG6sVYLDNMENk/s320/small_padd1.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$60 - Star Trek The Motion Picture Medical Padd. (White resin casting of the piece pictured)
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Eg7Dy4zuaqYlfNF13yfAS6dq6QZZEDmHvXSLR6IZD5s3vbgBeZAsR3iMi_rTYG_D2EL2ttHfOKP_IEaZA1N8R4NANxpwPlzvYfJJc6z4_JipgCusLyXbdnBL-OXezF0u72411sdXorQ/s1600/tmp_medical_padd_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Eg7Dy4zuaqYlfNF13yfAS6dq6QZZEDmHvXSLR6IZD5s3vbgBeZAsR3iMi_rTYG_D2EL2ttHfOKP_IEaZA1N8R4NANxpwPlzvYfJJc6z4_JipgCusLyXbdnBL-OXezF0u72411sdXorQ/s320/tmp_medical_padd_b.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$60- Star Trek TNG small padd. (White resin casting of the piece pictured)
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_EQ5XoD9riea1P-FcL2dIBXaxO9FGXRNCCMSz2NL6OxBtW9kFgFn82_K2K_lepY29RyhJLQIZCw6-U_W4efpJ3N3nGzN98rF6jsqPUEPOdp8x89I5IfeuJt5cn9CAXJFS_c6ao8IjqE/s1600/tng_small_padd1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_EQ5XoD9riea1P-FcL2dIBXaxO9FGXRNCCMSz2NL6OxBtW9kFgFn82_K2K_lepY29RyhJLQIZCw6-U_W4efpJ3N3nGzN98rF6jsqPUEPOdp8x89I5IfeuJt5cn9CAXJFS_c6ao8IjqE/s320/tng_small_padd1.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
$45 - Star Trek Voyager Small PADD
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEz3e9_L0_0pXsUdkgdLd3oqhgNbhTWI1TNeHpwOy-p28seFU_rU5NbAr6v2cIGfMLLVtMLcR9qYMHMdYcJKUf9pLjM95f1AE2h6kRUdk_FJYUdxch7TFLJFUtaH-DCcwTv79Xyw6lbYE/s1600/voyager_padd.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEz3e9_L0_0pXsUdkgdLd3oqhgNbhTWI1TNeHpwOy-p28seFU_rU5NbAr6v2cIGfMLLVtMLcR9qYMHMdYcJKUf9pLjM95f1AE2h6kRUdk_FJYUdxch7TFLJFUtaH-DCcwTv79Xyw6lbYE/s320/voyager_padd.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
200 - Production made Fifth Element Korben Dallas apartment miniature pieces. Got these from a gent who worked on the movie. You can CLEARLY see where these were used for the miniature where the food boat comes up to Korben's apartment. Nice little piece of movie history.
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj127l9Op2zP8sg31z8j33je0afPYHOr4EOpo3WF6ppsQj7vsJ08UU9nYx9dMS20YK4TfUMjD8JdroBFFkXklX7c0ATGwz1dkcPBlgWgQa81Yywwpm0NYHKHxkjIpYjsKSz1d1_zPEiJwE/s1600/korben_apartment.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj127l9Op2zP8sg31z8j33je0afPYHOr4EOpo3WF6ppsQj7vsJ08UU9nYx9dMS20YK4TfUMjD8JdroBFFkXklX7c0ATGwz1dkcPBlgWgQa81Yywwpm0NYHKHxkjIpYjsKSz1d1_zPEiJwE/s640/korben_apartment.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lboKlr07eSjf1c6HWDrZu3dArpCJpX8LTX6agJIjz768XRtUQj4XQOH_Z7ULiZytlft2p6P360m75_6vYnR70RJgmGmbdUCXfLsMxJm8-k3JZTuAcJalHNWs-bUmLMbEJv1dj_xiEFw/s1600/korben_apartment2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lboKlr07eSjf1c6HWDrZu3dArpCJpX8LTX6agJIjz768XRtUQj4XQOH_Z7ULiZytlft2p6P360m75_6vYnR70RJgmGmbdUCXfLsMxJm8-k3JZTuAcJalHNWs-bUmLMbEJv1dj_xiEFw/s640/korben_apartment2.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
50 - Blade Runner replica of one of Leon's precious photos. This is the one Deckard feeds into the esper. Fan made.
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTNLKIsXSF3QBMg-gGnVZrKbErJ587ymhTrCMQVFItUn4q2nsSlpJc7kYbxI-XzXi3a75H6n5PPeiHaZeBxFpQ4-MdMh45zF_TDMRJ5vtsx-t16RUWQdnbf-4pJmtyKnd7kVoMSoaHXI/s1600/precious+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTNLKIsXSF3QBMg-gGnVZrKbErJ587ymhTrCMQVFItUn4q2nsSlpJc7kYbxI-XzXi3a75H6n5PPeiHaZeBxFpQ4-MdMh45zF_TDMRJ5vtsx-t16RUWQdnbf-4pJmtyKnd7kVoMSoaHXI/s640/precious+photo.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
50 - Blade Runner Spinner logo. Resin, painted metallic silver.
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhShThyphenhyphen4-TUEehTZohKEXBAl8cmDsHW3FfZksl5VbW1q2qttEjAyCY5XXHzwUi3uo04ICJqVyICKLqD9xanqBoAVah5lxSQvc5oaDWr-HYewIXWocdX6dKeTrUHXujKbaIXoUn4y1c8ZRI/s1600/spinner_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhShThyphenhyphen4-TUEehTZohKEXBAl8cmDsHW3FfZksl5VbW1q2qttEjAyCY5XXHzwUi3uo04ICJqVyICKLqD9xanqBoAVah5lxSQvc5oaDWr-HYewIXWocdX6dKeTrUHXujKbaIXoUn4y1c8ZRI/s640/spinner_logo.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
100 - ST WOK phaser. This is an old Alberta Industrial Models kit finished by me. A little yellowing on the translucent disk. Graphics sheet on top.
<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifINFbCUS1f4WclUA2BuFztWO1l6g1gbDSKJ3ANhGk3ogyav6T0RyGGhmbLyIH2sOK5cc7v4kvcsBEh-wlEnoDiSvFDfm4kTaDBXatb56hoFn1XkJTuC67stzQNROAvYk0xduT8Ll7AvA/s1600/st2_phaser1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifINFbCUS1f4WclUA2BuFztWO1l6g1gbDSKJ3ANhGk3ogyav6T0RyGGhmbLyIH2sOK5cc7v4kvcsBEh-wlEnoDiSvFDfm4kTaDBXatb56hoFn1XkJTuC67stzQNROAvYk0xduT8Ll7AvA/s640/st2_phaser1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhVoHGUDOXVxoVKWK3bIGkPMn_35eZd3E6KV6f1pvZ0SiuGltDSsUWughMDaf30-XILUVOEzXP4BUc6bSz1I68hMO00NcQXgEEiMw6tUPfoOV2U9TFEfFdMj-GHB2f4hzDEIm3BS3L_g/s1600/st2_phaser2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhVoHGUDOXVxoVKWK3bIGkPMn_35eZd3E6KV6f1pvZ0SiuGltDSsUWughMDaf30-XILUVOEzXP4BUc6bSz1I68hMO00NcQXgEEiMw6tUPfoOV2U9TFEfFdMj-GHB2f4hzDEIm3BS3L_g/s640/st2_phaser2.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
250 - Blade Runner, Tyrell Building piece. This is a very iconic piece of the Tyrell building that is easily identified in many behind the scenes photos. I came upon a couple resin castings of this a while back and painted one of them. Just experimenting with colors and technquies really. I think this is a very neat little piece that can either be displayed as is or used as an awesome and interesting base for some other Blade Runner pieces.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ1unqZm7Lp4edwYSi6wkTL8_sGW5Kjwdyb-Ru78Nq0M5cyb6KieAZxGRdYcDbWmZ1mZFZwVo7eHJf-mjL049wXhvW750Rur_5GXOIB7eRcr8WtOJ3EcdjSNBs4ISIdGaiYCD8jPMkSc0/s1600/tyrell1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ1unqZm7Lp4edwYSi6wkTL8_sGW5Kjwdyb-Ru78Nq0M5cyb6KieAZxGRdYcDbWmZ1mZFZwVo7eHJf-mjL049wXhvW750Rur_5GXOIB7eRcr8WtOJ3EcdjSNBs4ISIdGaiYCD8jPMkSc0/s640/tyrell1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnD7PPvK4mteuF0ttkgoH3DiuobT4SbHXmv_Vy3EG9pS7E7wPE00cgmBXeADO2TjyRHcmpGDKe58CpSePDYDSPAjxhcuAWINH1ivn7hi9a0vF_p_T3yDvlYNHx3wUeoPz5pYqBEm_M1o/s1600/tyrell2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnD7PPvK4mteuF0ttkgoH3DiuobT4SbHXmv_Vy3EG9pS7E7wPE00cgmBXeADO2TjyRHcmpGDKe58CpSePDYDSPAjxhcuAWINH1ivn7hi9a0vF_p_T3yDvlYNHx3wUeoPz5pYqBEm_M1o/s640/tyrell2.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHcDWzjclAs1p3iBNZeHHBGcoZD1dmE144qFW2o43Q4aO83b5ftPemf1mrEEk02MaS2d0jnX3kod8PzKdLH3gv5Uh7KkNLBDJpUQtlQXHvAl7mEzgMWBxBL93tszdHC0urUCBIULYp68/s1600/tyrell3.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHcDWzjclAs1p3iBNZeHHBGcoZD1dmE144qFW2o43Q4aO83b5ftPemf1mrEEk02MaS2d0jnX3kod8PzKdLH3gv5Uh7KkNLBDJpUQtlQXHvAl7mEzgMWBxBL93tszdHC0urUCBIULYp68/s640/tyrell3.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
1,000 - UD Replicas MOS suit. Jacket M, Pants M, Boots 42.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkPow7S9u_06yFwmzfR9mzTLgwI0WoHcGREwTIoUnXyCeCMaBZuhMrz34vviLzQ5FgvasVBcDdC7-ttkeXWfBdLepUF6fVZie-c4S6Q8XgOhs1Nk-XsKYE6gH0fwvNE7RdNzDszbE_ws/s1600/mos+suit.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkPow7S9u_06yFwmzfR9mzTLgwI0WoHcGREwTIoUnXyCeCMaBZuhMrz34vviLzQ5FgvasVBcDdC7-ttkeXWfBdLepUF6fVZie-c4S6Q8XgOhs1Nk-XsKYE6gH0fwvNE7RdNzDszbE_ws/s640/mos+suit.jpg" width="423" height="640" data-original-width="529" data-original-height="800" /></a>
<P>
50 - Jem H'Dar Tricorder from DS9. Raw casting, fantastic condition.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDQ8NS0_VSKraeIE5ez1M0okdzR7GHBfKXWLV5Z3-jRrYcJAIeLOlV5a46jFTEwld0cK3aa8fIb46gKXNert4IPpZog4rfWfuhNZ6ww86mRhIJol4gEHhSBcnrvEV80_TLYz6DjVY148/s1600/tricorder.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDQ8NS0_VSKraeIE5ez1M0okdzR7GHBfKXWLV5Z3-jRrYcJAIeLOlV5a46jFTEwld0cK3aa8fIb46gKXNert4IPpZog4rfWfuhNZ6ww86mRhIJol4gEHhSBcnrvEV80_TLYz6DjVY148/s640/tricorder.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
200 - UD Replicas BVS Batman Belt, Size S.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGe1cxje9CedxnrjE3tPp8WZ41CEs_YRm59LEbeK8XS3GkBkpHjLDZws_Fr2TWNMFql3W__E_AaV2VjE9yDw1TuQP_V7_G7pIMd-lZ4W2Kdmfbi_NxA-_Rk6Yz-wkwo1acQaxDhJIFRs/s1600/UDR+Belt.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGe1cxje9CedxnrjE3tPp8WZ41CEs_YRm59LEbeK8XS3GkBkpHjLDZws_Fr2TWNMFql3W__E_AaV2VjE9yDw1TuQP_V7_G7pIMd-lZ4W2Kdmfbi_NxA-_Rk6Yz-wkwo1acQaxDhJIFRs/s640/UDR+Belt.jpg" width="425" height="640" data-original-width="531" data-original-height="800" /></a>
<P>
300 - SDStudios Obi Wan Saber ANH
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfsj7Dk5VPDw_Qv_051FueGVigkueoY7_hrM6H6uvuJmSTJDHi3Oa0cuXCKZk2ZbzHt51uwuF0fA7tmwdGCVLKn2pV-d4PNj7sC_-i2-PNCjhYkmWyedazoYG9cc3j2aonnX3Dtq5LrHU/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfsj7Dk5VPDw_Qv_051FueGVigkueoY7_hrM6H6uvuJmSTJDHi3Oa0cuXCKZk2ZbzHt51uwuF0fA7tmwdGCVLKn2pV-d4PNj7sC_-i2-PNCjhYkmWyedazoYG9cc3j2aonnX3Dtq5LrHU/s640/1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
30 - Minority Report John Anderton ID and lanyard. I made this about 10 years ago. Turned out great!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2AXuvwo3II-P_qZTwO2UkN60z6dbWHfy51ZnRiXwmKwAA3t_as7HX3ghyphenhyphengyFK6S4VESsCJ-C0u2vId9J6GDndXrsEbl3WSyA259zyNZjEmx1Rxgxm6BcCRwIrU2Fz26ULZeKx9502-pA/s1600/anderton.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2AXuvwo3II-P_qZTwO2UkN60z6dbWHfy51ZnRiXwmKwAA3t_as7HX3ghyphenhyphengyFK6S4VESsCJ-C0u2vId9J6GDndXrsEbl3WSyA259zyNZjEmx1Rxgxm6BcCRwIrU2Fz26ULZeKx9502-pA/s640/anderton.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
300 - MR ANH Vader AP. no case nor paperwork
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91FYcUnRtAYcrxbYSrVnC8-d9VVZISAXcTaHvc3Z-2LwI1FB25xbt9Yd9yNgl4Sb1LhyphenhyphenGnfK3ZPEFLRzbXELlkbQ_1W9JlY4vq6UnY2KXltL5D74zrsSgMrz7OXNRv4hX11b1u1wsvOQ/s1600/ANH1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi91FYcUnRtAYcrxbYSrVnC8-d9VVZISAXcTaHvc3Z-2LwI1FB25xbt9Yd9yNgl4Sb1LhyphenhyphenGnfK3ZPEFLRzbXELlkbQ_1W9JlY4vq6UnY2KXltL5D74zrsSgMrz7OXNRv4hX11b1u1wsvOQ/s640/ANH1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
50 - Batman Arkham video game grapple gun. BIG! Resin cast of a 3d print. Needs a little clean up but a great piece.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3p1VX_TQQvp7d0XY3ttSC8pcNOAQ_1Il5kbPVLT_EqEdl4sPrzFkupp3nN-ARXwS88CsDunLHo1gick6ZekTZTuVedi2vlNuApm4tE6TtkwrV_LQQDEFLnU_y_H1i3hULaxoP9AvHn0/s1600/arkham+grapple.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3p1VX_TQQvp7d0XY3ttSC8pcNOAQ_1Il5kbPVLT_EqEdl4sPrzFkupp3nN-ARXwS88CsDunLHo1gick6ZekTZTuVedi2vlNuApm4tE6TtkwrV_LQQDEFLnU_y_H1i3hULaxoP9AvHn0/s640/arkham+grapple.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
50 - Minority Report Anderton Baretta.Super clean cast but the butt is missing some resin. Just needs to be filled in. no missing details.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6t7xxXANYq0elpoq-VomgV6GacaEKaqyX2Sg0J-QAe0IrJbqNh_Fj0nzXEIqbr_5W79ra7l8qb9CzsnesQxpOGO2u5tksLeol5ASsw5sEacOqLVNyBCayL1B9gSiAxsgMOZqDyJOcwbg/s1600/baretta1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6t7xxXANYq0elpoq-VomgV6GacaEKaqyX2Sg0J-QAe0IrJbqNh_Fj0nzXEIqbr_5W79ra7l8qb9CzsnesQxpOGO2u5tksLeol5ASsw5sEacOqLVNyBCayL1B9gSiAxsgMOZqDyJOcwbg/s640/baretta1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
200 - Batman BvS grapple gun kit - mix of cast resin and 3d printed parts. Beautiful kit. Extremely well modelled.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBK2REUt5Nmc1nMPRbdV1XuCox_YfWsPLYiBdNuJhmGfuVwOxyZq-639IqnnipTpBOR6sY-xVyTaGAz1k3gHqQr-SH0yH7z8ocLlJiOI8LFzx_VKE4nS_P1TRaJj_MmIQT6-d_XuJKms/s1600/batman+grapple1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBK2REUt5Nmc1nMPRbdV1XuCox_YfWsPLYiBdNuJhmGfuVwOxyZq-639IqnnipTpBOR6sY-xVyTaGAz1k3gHqQr-SH0yH7z8ocLlJiOI8LFzx_VKE4nS_P1TRaJj_MmIQT6-d_XuJKms/s640/batman+grapple1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKbSuIa8mU23BsU-3M3LPf_jaz297s9NKT8iU6_TiS3C1t4j3nyUa-HFn-4Zne5ScsRTa8eNIytsefOqYrN7vdzsZ6eLfrqJeLI0ZEl8pg-8Pcm5-x_8A8nLuIDE9tzXFBUMtkvutR6o/s1600/batman+grapple2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKbSuIa8mU23BsU-3M3LPf_jaz297s9NKT8iU6_TiS3C1t4j3nyUa-HFn-4Zne5ScsRTa8eNIytsefOqYrN7vdzsZ6eLfrqJeLI0ZEl8pg-8Pcm5-x_8A8nLuIDE9tzXFBUMtkvutR6o/s640/batman+grapple2.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
30 each - Starlord satchel buckles
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9gwldDrdtsdiGHXxUP02HxxLqaA7U3AbTBC8LDJq6Q6PsAxvI1zedu3Oql6YJ4AfClQSYs9Q5G4bddMFLoLVrKsfVTUMXX_4eyOBzkmRblrctwf2egw3lIjZdZoC04Au83b-auhoUNg/s1600/buckles.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9gwldDrdtsdiGHXxUP02HxxLqaA7U3AbTBC8LDJq6Q6PsAxvI1zedu3Oql6YJ4AfClQSYs9Q5G4bddMFLoLVrKsfVTUMXX_4eyOBzkmRblrctwf2egw3lIjZdZoC04Au83b-auhoUNg/s640/buckles.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
100 - Affleck Daredevil Billy Club. One gen out from a production made piece. If you want a finished one, please DM me.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB93IrNRvbT7nxwueHiQ9yLrAjte3MSAF64LE2d7W5-cFAhDA_8GjXyT34ZDBlkxVf2POal7kVyxONkerJyVRhFmOLpUklGY4JgdZ3igMt7bIINtNLW5JB73iQi5-9mVp1W7osRZf73ww/s1600/club1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB93IrNRvbT7nxwueHiQ9yLrAjte3MSAF64LE2d7W5-cFAhDA_8GjXyT34ZDBlkxVf2POal7kVyxONkerJyVRhFmOLpUklGY4JgdZ3igMt7bIINtNLW5JB73iQi5-9mVp1W7osRZf73ww/s640/club1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wlsGn1SgriaYr6R68w3nIoGwbYt3GfHVRfZNzq1d6Snbfx0c0M2RjYujv2_gebhRdHbCzsXDhwJbgpA8Dk6W1lbZXBSrCGB5HNB1wl2MbBL4O2r9O0PJnT2xDGnVN4RIDOSulIm5tns/s1600/club2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wlsGn1SgriaYr6R68w3nIoGwbYt3GfHVRfZNzq1d6Snbfx0c0M2RjYujv2_gebhRdHbCzsXDhwJbgpA8Dk6W1lbZXBSrCGB5HNB1wl2MbBL4O2r9O0PJnT2xDGnVN4RIDOSulIm5tns/s640/club2.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWi2F7CcOLsa41oqeadC2b582lCCaqCZ6OHgSFEPuEfEMlFqIL04qFpWpGuISQ0U83c0O9J7Xk8BrP9BlWFppkWV3qeSEeeMu-6sXzAYv_Y7fP1PVUPEt3QkdMLgPTE7ebOZgYkpupf8/s1600/club3.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWi2F7CcOLsa41oqeadC2b582lCCaqCZ6OHgSFEPuEfEMlFqIL04qFpWpGuISQ0U83c0O9J7Xk8BrP9BlWFppkWV3qeSEeeMu-6sXzAYv_Y7fP1PVUPEt3QkdMLgPTE7ebOZgYkpupf8/s640/club3.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
300 - MR ESB Vader - No paperwork no case. Signature edition AP.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sGbyoGCf2IBGfzW5AgpZuH9MWRFe-wfw-3PBtcE6mlzi8ocGkE99T7u-9ZRQbo6xbFFUFvby7VAxQzoL5yBXCSTxHV6V4TDTJ8nWs5-aHSHJsScRFvc__6NBiigf8up9qb8u19oeLx4/s1600/ESB1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sGbyoGCf2IBGfzW5AgpZuH9MWRFe-wfw-3PBtcE6mlzi8ocGkE99T7u-9ZRQbo6xbFFUFvby7VAxQzoL5yBXCSTxHV6V4TDTJ8nWs5-aHSHJsScRFvc__6NBiigf8up9qb8u19oeLx4/s640/ESB1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
35 - Farscape grenade. Cast in Black/Dark Grey.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9eiAHkZyPdVr4JI0MNdYmT8mZIAa8DpmyJZ5nfV0nEWYoN83bASMABUKAQCt0e7dS_qK6GPnP9_N6HCF4QaEk9mm1GK3dT03JrA7h_KyWr3p_bKv1yxkLomjYjbRs_vtiJPZdvY7By4/s1600/farscape.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9eiAHkZyPdVr4JI0MNdYmT8mZIAa8DpmyJZ5nfV0nEWYoN83bASMABUKAQCt0e7dS_qK6GPnP9_N6HCF4QaEk9mm1GK3dT03JrA7h_KyWr3p_bKv1yxkLomjYjbRs_vtiJPZdvY7By4/s640/farscape.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
30 - Farscape pistol that shoots little yellow balls of light. From the pilot episode. Fan made. Got this from an RPF member a while back
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBTO7epozRq-S-MVIyRcppXxlVtnQYcko1yA6RDEMtDMNsE3UHexV8X6BDqWmyVSjr0XD9ub57dSwu8frwAiAL0NOgWcSuIzsZF2UiwndQVeMbXEvn7kHTMCiJXJ4hD6NRc9m3O5mQBg/s1600/farscapef.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBTO7epozRq-S-MVIyRcppXxlVtnQYcko1yA6RDEMtDMNsE3UHexV8X6BDqWmyVSjr0XD9ub57dSwu8frwAiAL0NOgWcSuIzsZF2UiwndQVeMbXEvn7kHTMCiJXJ4hD6NRc9m3O5mQBg/s640/farscapef.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
20 - Batman Forever belt buckle.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYH0-dMmFNJUWwI4oZzIhSBO_k9TGzviIxehxqI1a1LeYvM_h8fbYEueXTndz9pLslKY4WtnHhgZ8qb4YhVSAeCJnxGLt8DEKLRJe37KKWZM8qB6J12Fy-n9xCc8uqxrYZRgSSj3rxJ8/s1600/forever+buckle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYH0-dMmFNJUWwI4oZzIhSBO_k9TGzviIxehxqI1a1LeYvM_h8fbYEueXTndz9pLslKY4WtnHhgZ8qb4YhVSAeCJnxGLt8DEKLRJe37KKWZM8qB6J12Fy-n9xCc8uqxrYZRgSSj3rxJ8/s640/forever+buckle1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
25 each - batman forever belt buckles with the outer thingies. Anyone remember Alberta Industrial Models from back in the day? Got these from them.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7dNqo2Ga-Mvxkm0UxGSTAJh2sZoMy0fxq79Uiz50Ctosb4-HaqOSvTzJrriEemcZHYrXhi63hRQcMDx3XH9i9PlGUuCGEnDFpzKMg2M2trHiK8CxgKdUnU9SJqRpxx4iet3LtdLJXTo/s1600/forever+buckles.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7dNqo2Ga-Mvxkm0UxGSTAJh2sZoMy0fxq79Uiz50Ctosb4-HaqOSvTzJrriEemcZHYrXhi63hRQcMDx3XH9i9PlGUuCGEnDFpzKMg2M2trHiK8CxgKdUnU9SJqRpxx4iet3LtdLJXTo/s640/forever+buckles.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
60 - Gil Hibben Double Shadow. Originally thought this was the knife that the dude shaves with in The Fifth Element, but I think it turned out that the one in the movie was a turkish knock off of THIS knife. Dunno if that's correct. Could be the real deal.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi734RIoz_DoAX9u0RJAjCFFNjBYOfAbh2SOpkOs_fgcYHmnYlabl7OqfjnGsbWBfFMa9PXB2hxoVmNjoPNBA_e0hVtpg9AQpT52zWRVn6Ly6j9u1MFJgWdjnwe2Ijc7Vlxau1WsBTeg9o/s1600/gil+hibben.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi734RIoz_DoAX9u0RJAjCFFNjBYOfAbh2SOpkOs_fgcYHmnYlabl7OqfjnGsbWBfFMa9PXB2hxoVmNjoPNBA_e0hVtpg9AQpT52zWRVn6Ly6j9u1MFJgWdjnwe2Ijc7Vlxau1WsBTeg9o/s640/gil+hibben.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
55 - Cowboy Bebop ericho 941./Baby Desert Eagle and holster
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MnLAuHv4GhqxLh4u6FEmNeqobDU6b9Ujf-zAqkpWTcQlx8H4BZfuWQiwTUG25VevPjsu1Tydoe9kH8tenEGhQOceLZeH0JDkKT4uM994LmYis7W69jzXzsndS986ud49yM_WyU4OQWg/s1600/gun1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2MnLAuHv4GhqxLh4u6FEmNeqobDU6b9Ujf-zAqkpWTcQlx8H4BZfuWQiwTUG25VevPjsu1Tydoe9kH8tenEGhQOceLZeH0JDkKT4uM994LmYis7W69jzXzsndS986ud49yM_WyU4OQWg/s640/gun1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeqsUhO-FRcIfX80ln63dgr_sG_OlB9mI49LNnSgkeifZ1500G8hmgg8tkui7BXaC6n0ACewHD6qro7TynbVLhOhPjqvX37ZbW_AeqqiTcKtpNwRltPPtGvn0EUUalZUZRO6ne6kNlmE/s1600/holster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeqsUhO-FRcIfX80ln63dgr_sG_OlB9mI49LNnSgkeifZ1500G8hmgg8tkui7BXaC6n0ACewHD6qro7TynbVLhOhPjqvX37ZbW_AeqqiTcKtpNwRltPPtGvn0EUUalZUZRO6ne6kNlmE/s640/holster1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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275 - Blade Runner blaster holster - Phillipes
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdCLgjMxg08sxswSNLaJvKF3d6Suh2x-CHcJxHsQ_1PeF5YvVbBAqhe1rWjSSa_HL0MjPMRzsCgGqmx5NiQtdurlsIjm_XFByz_egY9T9j8kF29ELMb397pfscuUZSkQ1BetHndS5QH4/s1600/holster+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdCLgjMxg08sxswSNLaJvKF3d6Suh2x-CHcJxHsQ_1PeF5YvVbBAqhe1rWjSSa_HL0MjPMRzsCgGqmx5NiQtdurlsIjm_XFByz_egY9T9j8kF29ELMb397pfscuUZSkQ1BetHndS5QH4/s640/holster+1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
38 - Batman and Robin Ice Rang Resin Kit
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqMiqTpGSKuzkgein-VJ5r2BjhLKt0AHGAN61W4YmfBcDN4enywL_BoeflApUrvUoB4QW8sHzHeOSRoXe6L7z1LratZmUIQQmVRtTrmF-LrHk2w8FYZsZOYuYhMjtQfDN8wwcUjg2l9M/s1600/ice+rang+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqMiqTpGSKuzkgein-VJ5r2BjhLKt0AHGAN61W4YmfBcDN4enywL_BoeflApUrvUoB4QW8sHzHeOSRoXe6L7z1LratZmUIQQmVRtTrmF-LrHk2w8FYZsZOYuYhMjtQfDN8wwcUjg2l9M/s640/ice+rang+1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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50 - Fifth Element Korben Dallas' telephone base. This is the precise model of phone that was used to build the tiny phone you see korben talking to in his apartment. They shaved it down, re-organized the buttons, and gave it a custom backing. There is a similar, more common model of the phone but the buttons are different colors. A definite find for Fifth Element prop enthusiasts.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirju3e2Xv2nI3y1M1jm6YpEbAu5mHMVLgwPgLgqtkGIkTfmYT-Bmz1qvhS1O56CEVqx5Wby6BL0vA8-SdfUlP4YlPxkvuR3JSGOYkypdR5D55qnBbFzMtYqOMYFcQc3qc2ZRpHeLBVekg/s1600/korben+phone1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirju3e2Xv2nI3y1M1jm6YpEbAu5mHMVLgwPgLgqtkGIkTfmYT-Bmz1qvhS1O56CEVqx5Wby6BL0vA8-SdfUlP4YlPxkvuR3JSGOYkypdR5D55qnBbFzMtYqOMYFcQc3qc2ZRpHeLBVekg/s640/korben+phone1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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325 - Mangalore Bust - From Adam Savage's Collection
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXGDz0Jv-uYOOLCFAQ-rWMArWkLm0a0DHCnMRKt36A95M-BTUyuwJT31b2iN9tau8qvs5OSM1cQK0rX3J8mz3XJXLOEsSSb4DNpescpxm3OJlJ0ZWPIID0Pg5aSuczX3-81XV6xQ4yi4/s1600/mangalore1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXGDz0Jv-uYOOLCFAQ-rWMArWkLm0a0DHCnMRKt36A95M-BTUyuwJT31b2iN9tau8qvs5OSM1cQK0rX3J8mz3XJXLOEsSSb4DNpescpxm3OJlJ0ZWPIID0Pg5aSuczX3-81XV6xQ4yi4/s640/mangalore1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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40 - Mangalore Dagger from Fifth Element. Resin. Painted. Not super clean BUT that's what the made for production ones looked like.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBAxI7Na51Ep8XqLeATN6q4WKDAbYqocx_3lvAuUJgxfiPVWfTvTzKFIBzS_6ejN53fpK71zrhVmzink2bPTC38gEnKiYNlZlMIGkrbS5DZXgVVfhc9HND_lR5u_gFyH-ktBwJ2qEwb0/s1600/mangalore+dagger.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBAxI7Na51Ep8XqLeATN6q4WKDAbYqocx_3lvAuUJgxfiPVWfTvTzKFIBzS_6ejN53fpK71zrhVmzink2bPTC38gEnKiYNlZlMIGkrbS5DZXgVVfhc9HND_lR5u_gFyH-ktBwJ2qEwb0/s640/mangalore+dagger.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<P>
Multipass Kit. (Full build up pictured below)<BR>
$45 shipped US<BR>
$55 Shipped int'l
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_umlBxg7mypzmFgmzcNx4bMCwF-9dWwI9LJ8BPLEflagL48YxZHEnQxvd5pSZspYy0-tB0yHSq04WsXHuUwH4foT9zHRua_4p5IG2A5J9K4212GKq-bOmfiBVf5tHnzb7ZaVA9zJnx0Y/s1600/pass+done.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_umlBxg7mypzmFgmzcNx4bMCwF-9dWwI9LJ8BPLEflagL48YxZHEnQxvd5pSZspYy0-tB0yHSq04WsXHuUwH4foT9zHRua_4p5IG2A5J9K4212GKq-bOmfiBVf5tHnzb7ZaVA9zJnx0Y/s640/pass+done.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a>
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40 - Fifth Element / ZF1 Remote resin casting and accurate reflective tape. Cast in dark grey resin.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4H6V2JPr0mBl4N9m2fWAwbVuQ4QD8GiVmp-Ld17YUOAmWL27lTcp8hWX6F2AX8lgeb8Tdb2Yx7FRLp_xJ5IOXoxqxfvJaGG6d4LsphmFeLZNgM64QDpI_V359mbf7uYkO7RoNHollI6w/s1600/remote1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4H6V2JPr0mBl4N9m2fWAwbVuQ4QD8GiVmp-Ld17YUOAmWL27lTcp8hWX6F2AX8lgeb8Tdb2Yx7FRLp_xJ5IOXoxqxfvJaGG6d4LsphmFeLZNgM64QDpI_V359mbf7uYkO7RoNHollI6w/s640/remote1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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1,200 - Batman 89 all metal spear gun
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_48wHLs-imr1yKDDv1Lke7PCjlwH-AtVPu3aiuRWsdDa3bCsoNN_9Lf6GxWLIyBo1CBR1uuee3bdF0LZYztvrroWoTbkDmkHUrOSRsxvYYGPy-4kOkSce6VnsWqicu9uGgyJ5q1FISk/s1600/speargun1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_48wHLs-imr1yKDDv1Lke7PCjlwH-AtVPu3aiuRWsdDa3bCsoNN_9Lf6GxWLIyBo1CBR1uuee3bdF0LZYztvrroWoTbkDmkHUrOSRsxvYYGPy-4kOkSce6VnsWqicu9uGgyJ5q1FISk/s640/speargun1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEEzob7wTLy597UYyVGME0LEYAPfmkW1_6BRzNN5BkOABQPbSrIwJHKnV9Liqc-TLthmWbdaWIlVwJi5QByh7HFWibzsESuQlrrjNeLHeF5MJ5pm1wUqJPfql-Obu5hCpMt-qqSsGFZ8/s1600/speargun4.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEEzob7wTLy597UYyVGME0LEYAPfmkW1_6BRzNN5BkOABQPbSrIwJHKnV9Liqc-TLthmWbdaWIlVwJi5QByh7HFWibzsESuQlrrjNeLHeF5MJ5pm1wUqJPfql-Obu5hCpMt-qqSsGFZ8/s640/speargun4.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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300 - Starlord Jacket w accurate zipper. Mark Poon. Size L
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5IhFXFkN4XrFZqY0KS_kizWhX-2Ki2JsA-NyClP21KFBn0S9-LBEtJcfkxJMfAl_NAaZk1YDGAQRR-5slUKF4rC1IDhAyD7zL9C63JzGEpnlF0W9hyKwdaKKSgKRq0rkXItpP05BPzY/s1600/starlord1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5IhFXFkN4XrFZqY0KS_kizWhX-2Ki2JsA-NyClP21KFBn0S9-LBEtJcfkxJMfAl_NAaZk1YDGAQRR-5slUKF4rC1IDhAyD7zL9C63JzGEpnlF0W9hyKwdaKKSgKRq0rkXItpP05BPzY/s640/starlord1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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600 - SDStudios Thunderball rebreather
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7o6IqdOzAjsMV_Q2Vv7RMGdzum-wUtr1wQkaIi9jcOVggq6WKxz-BVHSVLGuYMSk_2O7EfF8J0fCqgM4_a7NY2ys97GZNW6UNHdNDIrtf7kQq_Dgzh716ubQgeBaTKhc6FFp9ZzVEXb4/s1600/thunderball1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7o6IqdOzAjsMV_Q2Vv7RMGdzum-wUtr1wQkaIi9jcOVggq6WKxz-BVHSVLGuYMSk_2O7EfF8J0fCqgM4_a7NY2ys97GZNW6UNHdNDIrtf7kQq_Dgzh716ubQgeBaTKhc6FFp9ZzVEXb4/s640/thunderball1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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10 - Tron video game tokens. From disneyland during their Tron Legacy promotion. One gold, one silver.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizg_ckOE5i5DMQHGbFLTCFYMtmbbedfdGLDqRJwNUHf1-DwFeKJpnQOaJyGFACAVtPOJTVo2bXKjtFYBHotvfvrMm-gl3L42DIq9AyI1RY48H43ogWO9ucYOpXK4xQLjhUQqjW_mj7Hhw/s1600/tron.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizg_ckOE5i5DMQHGbFLTCFYMtmbbedfdGLDqRJwNUHf1-DwFeKJpnQOaJyGFACAVtPOJTVo2bXKjtFYBHotvfvrMm-gl3L42DIq9AyI1RY48H43ogWO9ucYOpXK4xQLjhUQqjW_mj7Hhw/s640/tron.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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55 - Vektor CP1 resin casting. Korben Dallas/BSG. Cast in black/dark Grey. USA only.<BR>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmedqv1lin4nLvutnAE4yRlCXm7te2nQf7HqKUPV3zsc_qTNwjOyqbcLq5waYCrnYIBPMRU_T3jRhIeamTqLf3mIZpUZR_vtmhe1CUnaCMWtHAKp8BtNNV4rAKoL9K3C_x3uABt9PBNY/s1600/vektor1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmedqv1lin4nLvutnAE4yRlCXm7te2nQf7HqKUPV3zsc_qTNwjOyqbcLq5waYCrnYIBPMRU_T3jRhIeamTqLf3mIZpUZR_vtmhe1CUnaCMWtHAKp8BtNNV4rAKoL9K3C_x3uABt9PBNY/s640/vektor1.jpg" width="640" height="480" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-9026939757253617242018-10-15T15:17:00.001-07:002018-10-15T15:17:59.444-07:00Batmobile Side Mech ProgressThese side mechs are painstaking work. And honestly, it's no wonder this car has taken me so long to get it to where it is today. And by that, I mean "in the shop of someone who is a competent builder that is also not me."
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It's a weird combination of me just being slow, a perfectionist, and also just having a hard time finding time to work on the thing. Cuz you know I have all those other pressing priorities like winning arguments on facebook and updating my blog. Wah wah. Sad_trombone.gif.
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With that in mind, I have made a lot more progress in the past week on the side mechs. For those who are following along, you will recall that this type of work is literally my least favorite type of all maker work. The process of putty, sand, primer, repeat is pure madness. But let's get to it.
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I spent a couple weeks working out of the model shop at Fonco Creative Services, as it was close to my place, but had to bug out as they suddenly got a big piece of work in. A simple relocation to my workshop and setting up of a spare table got me back up and running in no time.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh162NOoX4u_HOF2lmEV0-GaqfWFi16pfQARElSmyrPIuTLo5DwCIdflB9laLkYwdFOdekquk78dAkFZMK7XPFhYAlEP5ifTKnBCcDcdVl-YYqzHmG8LKvF9OU9fiGoMr8GVFFomhnOu5s/s1600/0+workship+space+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh162NOoX4u_HOF2lmEV0-GaqfWFi16pfQARElSmyrPIuTLo5DwCIdflB9laLkYwdFOdekquk78dAkFZMK7XPFhYAlEP5ifTKnBCcDcdVl-YYqzHmG8LKvF9OU9fiGoMr8GVFFomhnOu5s/s320/0+workship+space+2.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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The bat signal is always watching over me, of course. I mean, come on.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LyJbe1xUf6z-IsrClgiqdNnuXO7cu_a4X1Cof9TfwdGC5V2ApZVWPHmWohDWTXngeUruk17HK4oBTTyafyU86OiGgAA01rspnLE-r3GM5WTBU5VBfMYf5b_BxSRtwzMI08A74FQswls/s1600/0+workshop+space.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LyJbe1xUf6z-IsrClgiqdNnuXO7cu_a4X1Cof9TfwdGC5V2ApZVWPHmWohDWTXngeUruk17HK4oBTTyafyU86OiGgAA01rspnLE-r3GM5WTBU5VBfMYf5b_BxSRtwzMI08A74FQswls/s320/0+workshop+space.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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I refer to this piece as "the coffee can" and there are two of them, one for each side and they are mirrors of each other. After looking at the way the whole thing assembles together, I realized a good time saving maneuver is to plug up the open end with a disk of styrene. That will save me some time cleaning out the existing recess, and will also make the mold less complicated. It will also give a nice surface to which I can glue or bolt other parts of the side mechs.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LAEsdktlZ29I7IblGgLbE7DuX9isuylO3eHahbhpTf_mwYWBYTj37wH7JjQeGRhwAwyltld9ity4I_lGUhpDDHDTBjIU4cCI4vtcV5BqFk_lVzavr6Trzz6HZv7y6lwDBuYSWch74sM/s1600/1+coffe+can.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LAEsdktlZ29I7IblGgLbE7DuX9isuylO3eHahbhpTf_mwYWBYTj37wH7JjQeGRhwAwyltld9ity4I_lGUhpDDHDTBjIU4cCI4vtcV5BqFk_lVzavr6Trzz6HZv7y6lwDBuYSWch74sM/s320/1+coffe+can.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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This little gasket-looking connector piece was not originally a stand alone part. There is a piece of the side mechs that is basically like a 90 degree curved and tapered tube. You can see it in a photo below. The white part. Much like the coffee can, there is one for each side, but the ONLY difference between the two pieces is the orientation of this gasket on the tip of it. So I made the strategic and money saving decision to only mold one in it's entirety, but then mold this piece as a separate piece, thus allowing me to create the mirror version of that tube without having to make a separate mold for the entire thing.
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What you're seeing here is the early phases of my clean up process. I cut a styrene disk to fit into it, glued it in with super glue gel, then laid down a coat of spot filler putty.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJRqTUAc6WZ0yZ1jDhLx85qHvfwyykvdre1sjoKudWCS3Qa2f60QqLSR8x9_wJhEa_6GSzLUOW5iCUgCzY4psxL1hT01SAh4e5OLxJ5jDZWwGMD0NLIRqwaDm0iE4gqnAW7Q9ze_PE1c/s1600/2+small+seal+clean+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJRqTUAc6WZ0yZ1jDhLx85qHvfwyykvdre1sjoKudWCS3Qa2f60QqLSR8x9_wJhEa_6GSzLUOW5iCUgCzY4psxL1hT01SAh4e5OLxJ5jDZWwGMD0NLIRqwaDm0iE4gqnAW7Q9ze_PE1c/s320/2+small+seal+clean+up.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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And here is the final product, with a little bit of love and spray primer later.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZovr0HTMSAjsAE-eNohsmmRyV23CL-eWd29CbnlNrT8SQU4sw1ytKMXcBWMnD_Ev2lZz-OM0xOQtyA7uiBUNqR_eAYa-64EsG8oRJBm_z5mW8WONp-TzBKerRSikLgnCASVtfhzJRmI/s1600/6+small+seal+done.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZovr0HTMSAjsAE-eNohsmmRyV23CL-eWd29CbnlNrT8SQU4sw1ytKMXcBWMnD_Ev2lZz-OM0xOQtyA7uiBUNqR_eAYa-64EsG8oRJBm_z5mW8WONp-TzBKerRSikLgnCASVtfhzJRmI/s320/6+small+seal+done.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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Let's jump ahead and take a look at this assembly:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs97z8RWHqzZq7pKqpHpX8BRiaiFyH8HCI2VeJmuJdr_tTRkq6VyJjftTE-_AJkIb1H1XlSTmFJhQEZkb8q_nVRbFNnt6eOSFLqLOP_wseJ6qvJCIoBXV3TLvOZy8Z7dC_mojdL3ebZYE/s1600/7+big+seal+usage.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs97z8RWHqzZq7pKqpHpX8BRiaiFyH8HCI2VeJmuJdr_tTRkq6VyJjftTE-_AJkIb1H1XlSTmFJhQEZkb8q_nVRbFNnt6eOSFLqLOP_wseJ6qvJCIoBXV3TLvOZy8Z7dC_mojdL3ebZYE/s320/7+big+seal+usage.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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See the big white part? And the tip over on the left? That's where I cut off the gasket you see me working on above. Now check out the other end. See the grey, bigger gasket sitting on the table? As originally modelled, that too was a part of the white angle tube. It was all connected. In order to make it easier to mold and cast, and to further my goal of only making one large mold for the tube, that gasket was separated and will be cast as a separate part. This gasked needed treatment similar to the smaller one shown above.
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So I cut a styrene disk, glued it in.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5AsWrVRob7zaPhuU3W96GH_AagZnQJnO9sje4tQePYbesRCAnfM7Ga37nneHuCLeG7CJfBdTCjEzX1kZCBtl27pP-3Bl_DNVHHpsZTmPTBxNTfjiLCZBlrggabhCTVSVGgssmNdyCgGc/s1600/4+big+seal+clean+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5AsWrVRob7zaPhuU3W96GH_AagZnQJnO9sje4tQePYbesRCAnfM7Ga37nneHuCLeG7CJfBdTCjEzX1kZCBtl27pP-3Bl_DNVHHpsZTmPTBxNTfjiLCZBlrggabhCTVSVGgssmNdyCgGc/s320/4+big+seal+clean+up.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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Then started cleaning up the seam. A little putty, a little sanding, and it's all but invisible. This will make attaching the gasket to castings of the tube super easy. Previously, all it would have is a micro thin lip to attach glue to, making the bond fairly week. Now I can just bore drywall screws through it if I wanted to.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EV4js722RwI3YIuH2q19zGKLzu-8rW82OvtoW5BhElogVBeVig2mpqzfwbXIQu9Gk3SbyYQlT28dZ4MVKmyk1-vCUyEZ0FEcoDz_wxGfeK_TufpynQ0Fg2Wjqw_YA_hoRyCKSGJ5hBc/s1600/3+small+seal+clean+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EV4js722RwI3YIuH2q19zGKLzu-8rW82OvtoW5BhElogVBeVig2mpqzfwbXIQu9Gk3SbyYQlT28dZ4MVKmyk1-vCUyEZ0FEcoDz_wxGfeK_TufpynQ0Fg2Wjqw_YA_hoRyCKSGJ5hBc/s320/3+small+seal+clean+up.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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This piece is proving to be difficult to work with just because the quality of the print wasn't super good. Lots of clean up around the edges and lips.
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I did two passes at it today and made a lot of progress. This is also another example of a piece that has a drivers side and passenger side version, both mirrors of each other. Much like with the tube above, I chopped off the little flange that makes the pieces unique, and will cast everything separately. So instead of two large, complex and unweildy molds, I will have one medium complexity mold that can be optimized to use the minimal amount of rubber, and then a tiny mold for the flange that can easily be flipped and attached to create the mirror versions.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2aw7SKIHoNje_331qoIAZSYb4YAnHbBHeCw12ZzhkY4fITn5cvpwfNS7piNLr4x2ZcRLCtswW-n03XOWVeJCnTDM9i6glcSPczlmb_dpZHwOoIFCmNFSA0hdGQFyrYGflEZXIgSXf0I/s1600/5+linkage.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2aw7SKIHoNje_331qoIAZSYb4YAnHbBHeCw12ZzhkY4fITn5cvpwfNS7piNLr4x2ZcRLCtswW-n03XOWVeJCnTDM9i6glcSPczlmb_dpZHwOoIFCmNFSA0hdGQFyrYGflEZXIgSXf0I/s320/5+linkage.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1vEo6pRy7xlWF6pMrMNVY4G_pwCTUT4GViR46znGoh5scCQAHetWGQbh_G6tuQz8H_2zXwAjCmWGmnONcnFczF2T0QS_mqNTpN1EWdP3SSTWQ6VZEU6lxOsfOufZmdMdLKnEhGfZGmE/s1600/8+linkage+clean+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1vEo6pRy7xlWF6pMrMNVY4G_pwCTUT4GViR46znGoh5scCQAHetWGQbh_G6tuQz8H_2zXwAjCmWGmnONcnFczF2T0QS_mqNTpN1EWdP3SSTWQ6VZEU6lxOsfOufZmdMdLKnEhGfZGmE/s320/8+linkage+clean+up.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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This next little piece is proving to be one of the most difficult to clean up. Just lots of tiny corners to get into and perfectly cylindrical parts are always hard to get right. I had the idea of just rebuilding most of it using tube stock and my lathe, but thought better of it. It's coming along. Probably another 2 or 3 sessions with it and it will be ready for molding.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrtLKsdeFswsK0iVp-vk5FrZVwV_pBSR8k5E9WHt54IxJdcjXIv5aGdSakZekUs_fzjSTshs3kYNHBrAHzc1fSNAxDEW2i1R6qmxv_x3DFKr4ocCukweNEJljlQdHnUjwg-or7vsZL1A/s1600/9+knob+pipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrtLKsdeFswsK0iVp-vk5FrZVwV_pBSR8k5E9WHt54IxJdcjXIv5aGdSakZekUs_fzjSTshs3kYNHBrAHzc1fSNAxDEW2i1R6qmxv_x3DFKr4ocCukweNEJljlQdHnUjwg-or7vsZL1A/s320/9+knob+pipe.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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At the end of the days work, here are three parts that are ready for molding. The two gaskets, and also the little flange that I spoke about earlier.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YDd4v9iU2rzTvIOmCKjVz_upV3MREb2j5zJzLOoxEv7eiiYchj8yGOteQ1PeUNCr1J4QR5YAjUau_r8vAlRvh6J9l6NJPXLTRADYbNQrqqm4htbYtbvcSqkFSItA3Tl4EXJ_xc0FRqE/s1600/10+read+to+mold+parts.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YDd4v9iU2rzTvIOmCKjVz_upV3MREb2j5zJzLOoxEv7eiiYchj8yGOteQ1PeUNCr1J4QR5YAjUau_r8vAlRvh6J9l6NJPXLTRADYbNQrqqm4htbYtbvcSqkFSItA3Tl4EXJ_xc0FRqE/s320/10+read+to+mold+parts.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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I decided to make my mold boxes out of corrugated cardboard this time, instead of foam core, which saved me the trouble of cutting all those little slits in a strip as I had done before so that I can get a rounded shape out of it. It worked great.
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See that little black sharpie mark on the inside of the box? That's my fill line. Before building out the boxes, I measure the height of the piece I am going to mold, then I add about a 1/4" to it, and I use that measurement to mark the fill line. I have never been good with eyeballing how much rubber to pour into a box, and always end up using WAY more rubber than needed, so I developed this method as a helper for my own personal shortcomings. Of which I have many, of course.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtocN8lFfQluGFhnZHqydr6t_ijHV8muY-Z62LZ7gw1pmEm7IJcP1FnvEYcBlEcsAp26I0dJb65Igby2S-fdVi9QBypqz8zlFe1CjxrCrUi5BCg-SSHByKiQEwG0CEFcoere2cVceZHM/s1600/11+mold+boxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbtocN8lFfQluGFhnZHqydr6t_ijHV8muY-Z62LZ7gw1pmEm7IJcP1FnvEYcBlEcsAp26I0dJb65Igby2S-fdVi9QBypqz8zlFe1CjxrCrUi5BCg-SSHByKiQEwG0CEFcoere2cVceZHM/s320/11+mold+boxes.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJniOUVmgMTXG7JA9xeqmTVMOIDaLHHCLIVfKNqsFK-Rrvk7CZtqZ-aHSnMsZVdTlqmqDCK-4mPlBMxohpA2G0Nkek30QZEpJ0sXbYfS7kwJV2EWsXnkRnZNPKmkGaM980Wnl_5jdl9UU/s1600/12+three+mold+boxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJniOUVmgMTXG7JA9xeqmTVMOIDaLHHCLIVfKNqsFK-Rrvk7CZtqZ-aHSnMsZVdTlqmqDCK-4mPlBMxohpA2G0Nkek30QZEpJ0sXbYfS7kwJV2EWsXnkRnZNPKmkGaM980Wnl_5jdl9UU/s320/12+three+mold+boxes.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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Lastly, here's all the piece super glued down to the surface. I try to give about a half inch of border around each piece. Maybe a little less. I defintely don't need more, and maybe less would be ok. I really define the height of the fill and the thickness of the borders based on the shape I am molding, and how well the mold will hold it's own shape when it is empty. It varies a lot based on the complexity of the part. Something you just get with experience, I suppose.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8eveU-JCKe9guMg0zpVAN_Hx1jB7V-HYuq6FZ4LJAoxT6RAjvquwtxN_ypUyNPcBFnqzdZfaqltBinBvQw2EgjwPsIoJS7ameqvqvEo_C-nb7q36ovaJdw21im3MQt99HRdcRxOwnbQ/s1600/13+parts+in+mold+boxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ8eveU-JCKe9guMg0zpVAN_Hx1jB7V-HYuq6FZ4LJAoxT6RAjvquwtxN_ypUyNPcBFnqzdZfaqltBinBvQw2EgjwPsIoJS7ameqvqvEo_C-nb7q36ovaJdw21im3MQt99HRdcRxOwnbQ/s320/13+parts+in+mold+boxes.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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Ok that's all I have to show off for now. Thank you for taking the time to read it, I greatly appreciate all the good folks who are keeping up with my blog, are asking questions, and maybe are even learning a thing or two from my ramblings. Until the next time!!!MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-6069779489561149582018-10-08T10:41:00.000-07:002018-10-08T10:41:45.842-07:00Time To Make The DonutsWhen it comes to building a replica of the Keaton era Batmobile, the place that many builders stumble is on a component that is often referred to as the "Side Mechanics" or "side mechs" for short. These have proven to be the most difficult pieces to find originals of. To my knowledge, nobody has ever discovered the origin of most of the pieces that were no doubt cobbled together from discarded industrial junk. There is a piece that has been identified as a part from a hot air balloon, but that's about all I know.
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It has been my goal to put together a top notch replica of the side mechs for my car. Regular readers of the blog will know that my pal Tim Neill in canada modelled the side mechs based on extensive research and reference, and they are absolutely amazing. Tim offers them for free to download on his Batberry blog. Here's <A HREF = "https://batberry.wordpress.com/2016/01/10/remaining-side-mechanics-3d-models-uploaded/">a link directly to the files</A>, should you be so inclined.
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A friend printed these files for me, and I set about the task of cleaning them up. My goal is to produce them in resin and/or fiberglass. I have kicked around the idea of getting them plated, but honestly I think painting them will be good enough.
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For reference, here's what they look like on a screen used Returns car:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVRGVaP6LyWRdwmdUZ3C_ktZ82l9JqDFS4MkehXU3n0oBZwo_0oiTWx9IsW8sMJUNcI8qocysayYP3JVxAnWTPA7B212o_qWKtzsb6OifIkG-ndC8M_X2-qUOh4RP2zBUCQUD2uN_FXI/s1600/side+mechs.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVRGVaP6LyWRdwmdUZ3C_ktZ82l9JqDFS4MkehXU3n0oBZwo_0oiTWx9IsW8sMJUNcI8qocysayYP3JVxAnWTPA7B212o_qWKtzsb6OifIkG-ndC8M_X2-qUOh4RP2zBUCQUD2uN_FXI/s400/side+mechs.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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The process of getting this right has been incredibly time consuming. Cleaning up the 3d printed parts is super labor intensive, and also intersects poorly with my anal-retentiveness when it comes to perfection. I have invested easily a couple hundred hours in puttying, sanding, primering... repeating until these things are at a point of quality that I am happy with. Cleaning 3d parts is not only an art, but it's also a tremendous hassle. The filament sands differently than putty and primer. It's very resilient. A real pain.
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I finished cleaning up the part that is often referred to as "The donut" almost a year ago, and finally just got around to molding it. In this post, I will walk you through the process I used to mold. This will be a fairly technical discussion, so if you don't really care about materials and techniques, you can skip this. I found a great video by my pal Bill Doran that showed his technique for doing a brush on, jacketed mold, and this proved to be very valuable to my process. Here's a link if you'd like to check it out.
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<a href="https://youtu.be/jkzFOFzQtp8">Prop: Shop - Molding & Casting 101: Brush on Molds for Helmets & Masks</a>
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I started by bulding a box for the donut, with about 1/2" of space around it. I used 1/4" foam core, which you can get at Michaels or any art supply store worth its salt. I cut slits into a strip of foam core at about every 1/4" so that I could shape it into a circle. Building a square or rectangular box for this project would have wasted a lot of rubber. I used Smooth-On's Rebound 25 for this mold, which is an expensive platinum cure silicone that is resilient and really takes the shape nicely. It's billed as a product that sticks to vertical surfaces. While true, it's not quite... accurate. More on that in a moment. I brushed on two coats of the stuff using a 1/2" chip brush from home depot. Oh, the base is made out of a scrap piece of MDF. I glued the donut to the MDF using super glue gel. No accelerant needed. Here's a pic of the donut with the first two coats of Rebound 25 on it.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09DnpZjfMpl16-YqEUL1DSirlU50CfHVX7TJZYIy_8WihhcLg1F-L-rNJT3jhuZBkt4PHotXHxX_-EOX3wBrT61huzb1PsByvNZnE7zYZX3bom3EhGrRKZVONa7IUbYofMe4V4l-Pzog/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09DnpZjfMpl16-YqEUL1DSirlU50CfHVX7TJZYIy_8WihhcLg1F-L-rNJT3jhuZBkt4PHotXHxX_-EOX3wBrT61huzb1PsByvNZnE7zYZX3bom3EhGrRKZVONa7IUbYofMe4V4l-Pzog/s400/1.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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The real takeaway from this photo is that the stuff isn't thickening up in all the right places. The horizontal surfaces are acquiring a nice, even and thick coat, but the vertical surfaces are not. Though thick, the rubber still tends to succumb to gravity, and only leaves behind the thinnest of layers on vertical surfaces.
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And that's where a product named "Thi-Vex" comes in. It's what's known as a thixotropic agent, which basically means it thickens the stuff up while retaining all of the rubbers original properties. Ie, it doesn't effect the cure time, the pot live, the shelf life, etc. I mixed up another batch of rebound 25 and eyeballed an amount of ThiVex and went to town. You basically just add it in a little bit at a time until you get it to a consistency that you are happy with. I was going for a cake frosting level of thickness. I then applied it to the donut using a "senior" tongue depressor. Those are the big ones, mind you. Not like typical Popsicle sticks. So complicated!!! I tried to make it as smooth as possible, though I was definitely going for function over form. Here's a pic of the donut after one attack of thickened rebound.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4KDVifgvR6wmPMvbw1JOYBytvMUfUq6L1VR7u1UIo8fy7_bz6NBtr1SqnV3-7nq6-yZGvEfnJ52yACHPsgTRsMb_BOiBAqDOHIg7u-pg3yZjK7Jyhw-HBHRUB38BZ48gTRc9s8oyJys/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4KDVifgvR6wmPMvbw1JOYBytvMUfUq6L1VR7u1UIo8fy7_bz6NBtr1SqnV3-7nq6-yZGvEfnJ52yACHPsgTRsMb_BOiBAqDOHIg7u-pg3yZjK7Jyhw-HBHRUB38BZ48gTRc9s8oyJys/s400/2.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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I ended up doing another pass with thickened rebound, then a final pass of non thickened rebound. I then pulled off the box walls. I used a piece of copper tubing to bore holes in the outer lip of the mold. These will serve as keys for the rigid jacket, and hold the flexible part in place.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK308S-MsCv1BeG6dUWU-d6TflzwSwkkws2RE9ssG-zD0LcMH8A1o8zcqY-3rkCQYBP6fjl5RI1GCL-Hfxny0X8NLTgdF28tuYFMX0WnVccLYpnUX6xN-grS23S7MWmSS3zIlHb26HPzs/s1600/IMG_2971.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK308S-MsCv1BeG6dUWU-d6TflzwSwkkws2RE9ssG-zD0LcMH8A1o8zcqY-3rkCQYBP6fjl5RI1GCL-Hfxny0X8NLTgdF28tuYFMX0WnVccLYpnUX6xN-grS23S7MWmSS3zIlHb26HPzs/s400/IMG_2971.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a>
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I brushed a ton of wax paste on to the MDF base, as it is very pourous and anything I put on top of it will probably attach to it pretty firmly. Now it's time to make the jacket. I chose Smooth-On's Plasti-Paste, which is also what Bill uses in his video. It's super easy to work with, fairly non-messy, and is really quite rigid even at thinner applications. I mixed up a batch and as with the rubber applied it with a tongue depressor. I did two coats, which was probably not necessary.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVC_QKCyXHXYT9R7IRxiyZ01JCEf69typCIxPUtWyQzCsvvu4-kxO7oQuQGygkQvNuMK6JMZRPWpHLACODMPAhLvj5Lz6Rdx_kMhoQ5PD9Se2AQ0BQ9pUkDjomh54LXaaZhcd_0V8YX4/s1600/IMG_2972.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVC_QKCyXHXYT9R7IRxiyZ01JCEf69typCIxPUtWyQzCsvvu4-kxO7oQuQGygkQvNuMK6JMZRPWpHLACODMPAhLvj5Lz6Rdx_kMhoQ5PD9Se2AQ0BQ9pUkDjomh54LXaaZhcd_0V8YX4/s400/IMG_2972.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a>
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I left that to cure, and in a few hours I pulled it off the MDF base using a spatula and all was good in the world. Here's a pic of the underside of the piece.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtEB6-vHKs9VJ4cYE_BW6ji-ZiR29lv_URsuEEDFMq-rQYx7kSskSGMritKC76GjGfO4qkgef89eSdpnVLeVFIasGjGKyusg5sawbB7umAYlDe2qAp0W6I-fpLYA7kS9aQh1B4W-z6zA/s1600/IMG_2973.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtEB6-vHKs9VJ4cYE_BW6ji-ZiR29lv_URsuEEDFMq-rQYx7kSskSGMritKC76GjGfO4qkgef89eSdpnVLeVFIasGjGKyusg5sawbB7umAYlDe2qAp0W6I-fpLYA7kS9aQh1B4W-z6zA/s400/IMG_2973.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="1600" data-original-height="1200" /></a>
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At this point it occurred to me that a mistake had been made. In order to save time, I decided to forego making a seam down the middle, which would have allowed for easy removal of the jacket. The donut proved impossible to remove, so I ended up cutting a seam line down the middle of the jacket using a dremel tool and a big cutoff wheel. No damage to the mold or donut, but it added some complexity to the final steps, as I now have to manually align the two halves of the jacket and keep them stable while casting up a donut. Not a big deal, but if I had it all to do over again, I would have done the jacket as two separate parts.
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Success was still within my grasp, and as a test I used Smooth-On's 65D to rotocast a donut in two pours. It came out EXCELLENT and with a little clean up it will be ready.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8Vq6ENaDkucveVGt04ePUsSKpn5xcIMJllr8cJ1RmvBrkqdyd2yoc_YwNGekMsCoPjUguRf_tKvVITQaQUEzU-GG7XDDm3qnCKaDjZmDr_ssAsRlwOvjNWWjTxCvBxltwsf2JsNgIGE/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8Vq6ENaDkucveVGt04ePUsSKpn5xcIMJllr8cJ1RmvBrkqdyd2yoc_YwNGekMsCoPjUguRf_tKvVITQaQUEzU-GG7XDDm3qnCKaDjZmDr_ssAsRlwOvjNWWjTxCvBxltwsf2JsNgIGE/s400/6.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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The other side mech pieces are also coming along. Here is the first pull out of the mold of one of the attachment pieces. I don't even know what the name of this piece is but who cares it looks great.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajUvS3Hn4npYPQm1UJ7pKuCxSR01sEKabiBBvbhFfsMwmF_EguTQKK6xWDXlt5lHiowEGDVeem-_lmKHR6PvtTY2sBfHpwmiqhHZQ9R14uY3dD81JfEwV9FF4LLiSkHv28YteWUIp208/s1600/part.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajUvS3Hn4npYPQm1UJ7pKuCxSR01sEKabiBBvbhFfsMwmF_EguTQKK6xWDXlt5lHiowEGDVeem-_lmKHR6PvtTY2sBfHpwmiqhHZQ9R14uY3dD81JfEwV9FF4LLiSkHv28YteWUIp208/s400/part.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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That's it for now. Thanks for reading. I'm really happy to be making progress on this build again. Maybe some day I will actually finish it.MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-12224808645080090122018-10-08T09:50:00.000-07:002018-10-08T09:50:06.313-07:00The Ugly Work of FiberglassFiberglassing is messy work, and frankly I do not like it. Fortunately for me, my man Paul on the east coast is doing a lot of this work for me on the Mattmobile. A few progress pictures to show off.
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These are replacement bumperettes. Not certain I spelled that right. These are the things that go right under the front headlights, and make it impossible to drive on any road that isn't entirely flat. Great design!! There's also a mold for the front wheel hub in there, if I recall correctly. From what I am told, most modern replica cars use the same wheel hub for the front and rear, though they are in fact different sizes on the screen used cars. So now mine will have both sizes. Yay for small victories.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibW9rfIj1ywDbe-zdo8_F_-tIpuAkWKRxul0W_aI7vq-9mrDjidOic0XlwsN7obtoUynLNOf24wQazAldVNgxTASgxzz1h9dqe6Pgz9fQ5LEWbYTI1cDI_BU8TkHtdnteNMwHzwOldClI/s1600/bumperetts.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibW9rfIj1ywDbe-zdo8_F_-tIpuAkWKRxul0W_aI7vq-9mrDjidOic0XlwsN7obtoUynLNOf24wQazAldVNgxTASgxzz1h9dqe6Pgz9fQ5LEWbYTI1cDI_BU8TkHtdnteNMwHzwOldClI/s400/bumperetts.jpg" width="243" height="400" data-original-width="584" data-original-height="960" /></a>
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Paul was also kind enough to remake my dash pad for me. I didn't even know that was a real term until recently. That's the thing that you put your french fries on when you're driving home from Burger King. The part that sits horizontal. This is a pic of the newly laid up piece.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0gQNo3QNrvvqYFGwNPm9nPGwl9KripuD3xdl8Dnrw03dbwR3SVk2hoFeLLUFDZ5uTnTuEu9HBAJx0_GuNhguCVxW4QmRFBrFE5OUmf5mlb7GQ-VLBT1yxVPm3mtDqQKVr93xVsZmINA/s1600/dasj+resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0gQNo3QNrvvqYFGwNPm9nPGwl9KripuD3xdl8Dnrw03dbwR3SVk2hoFeLLUFDZ5uTnTuEu9HBAJx0_GuNhguCVxW4QmRFBrFE5OUmf5mlb7GQ-VLBT1yxVPm3mtDqQKVr93xVsZmINA/s400/dasj+resized.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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Lastly, here is the dash board being joined to the dash pad. These originally shipped as two pieces, but having them joined and all the gaps filled in will give it a lot of structural strength and will of course be entirely pretty.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5ZI4NEXpZxonhp8JSVRlyuUHyoA-vgjnKqI4FHImD8L6fVnYL84JGxtEEEK74V6iNTlSgtwJB3SGCZftOeaGdOKdsUuMRJ0kFKuNla4URzBX9PzrwObFhrnrwhjEPJW7xEFISUpb_ps/s1600/dash+joined+resize.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5ZI4NEXpZxonhp8JSVRlyuUHyoA-vgjnKqI4FHImD8L6fVnYL84JGxtEEEK74V6iNTlSgtwJB3SGCZftOeaGdOKdsUuMRJ0kFKuNla4URzBX9PzrwObFhrnrwhjEPJW7xEFISUpb_ps/s400/dash+joined+resize.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="800" data-original-height="600" /></a>
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In other news, there's been a lot of work on the side mechs lately, and I have started doing some pulls from the molds. Results are absolutely outstanding and I could not be more thrilled. Still a few pieces to finish cleaning up the masters of, and a lot of molds to make. I purchased another 2 gallons of RTV from SilPak, and I am hopeful that this will be enough to see the project through to completion.
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If you are just discovering this blog, please be sure to visit my facebook page for this build, as I tend to update that more frequently and you can also ask questions and follow discussions on different pieces and photos.
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<A HREF="https://www.facebook.com/RiseOfTheMattMobile/">https://www.facebook.com/RiseOfTheMattMobile/</A>
MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-1583198856071426712018-09-25T21:16:00.000-07:002018-09-25T21:17:05.462-07:00Batmobile Side Mech ProgressThe old blog has been neglected for a very long time. I have been very focused on fitness for the past year, and have made tremendous progress on that front.
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But the Mattmobile project still lingers. Much has taken place. Much still to be completed. For now, here are some pictures of recent work I have done on the side mechs. Trying to get these all finished in the next two weeks.
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This first picture is my workbench I've taken over at Fonco. I am not working at the Mattcave right now, but have temporarily set up shop here.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20DMbGz7SKp3AlCVJBEc9hXbFRUyJn0fl23paXjryfnGD0rs0hjatVPWJz6gNPvqC3hn9Vy09Yi22cyolivgSI8nkUOyKK-I6V8shQEdTYmIfFNiiV_B6YspaCACKoNh1TH0qEGY7FR8/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20DMbGz7SKp3AlCVJBEc9hXbFRUyJn0fl23paXjryfnGD0rs0hjatVPWJz6gNPvqC3hn9Vy09Yi22cyolivgSI8nkUOyKK-I6V8shQEdTYmIfFNiiV_B6YspaCACKoNh1TH0qEGY7FR8/s1600/1.jpg" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a></div>
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I of course brought with me a bunch of tools and supplies that I know I will need to get the job done.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepM-Z2ybX_cOyldg1ApDoak_VTUxuowwmnwlLi24Qc5RRTYoct93eHseGZk015BoUssanNWQn8ax-kw_iOMI8OptcBnpWgetpbJCPBo7s-XdL8c5vJ4Cw4fh1AIXBe7gXvDhtuH7Own4/s1600/2+putty+and+junk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepM-Z2ybX_cOyldg1ApDoak_VTUxuowwmnwlLi24Qc5RRTYoct93eHseGZk015BoUssanNWQn8ax-kw_iOMI8OptcBnpWgetpbJCPBo7s-XdL8c5vJ4Cw4fh1AIXBe7gXvDhtuH7Own4/s1600/2+putty+and+junk.jpg" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a></div>
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I have become very particular and peculiar with my work spaces. I need to be close to my work, but also sitting in a comfortable chair. I am using this stool as my work surface.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FMQbuRIOwNkGeNW7tpK7ZrbXZWA2TrlQjCi4tcSLOdXnE5lTYJjUj0rWtuUQNm0F9He2HlFhFMpyoqnuU84iEPSsOA0W0pkfkXegaWbUG0bkRGL06GUPLbLHQlTS2fJ8GV_OCzVL9q0/s1600/3+work+stool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FMQbuRIOwNkGeNW7tpK7ZrbXZWA2TrlQjCi4tcSLOdXnE5lTYJjUj0rWtuUQNm0F9He2HlFhFMpyoqnuU84iEPSsOA0W0pkfkXegaWbUG0bkRGL06GUPLbLHQlTS2fJ8GV_OCzVL9q0/s1600/3+work+stool.jpg" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a></div>
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These are some parts that I finished a while ago. Heck, probably more than a year ago. It's been a while since I have tackled these pieces. Honestly, this type of work is my least favorite. I could almost say I hate it. 3d part clean up really sucks and is no fun. Its a seemingly endless cycle of sand, putty, primer, repeat. It makes me bonkers. But for the sake of this project, I have to get it done.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOEuzRUd1OJ8kSHM5rxCECoUUaht4iBnfDrIdhCIFGDMMxS21QfPrX6vYuPdvFV57fMBrL0iIC8K1SATFjXRwO5stvlm8TWTq81eZ2sSxb0YLO4aY-iri6gW31YAcpDirEWbDXxBljjqc/s1600/4+finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOEuzRUd1OJ8kSHM5rxCECoUUaht4iBnfDrIdhCIFGDMMxS21QfPrX6vYuPdvFV57fMBrL0iIC8K1SATFjXRwO5stvlm8TWTq81eZ2sSxb0YLO4aY-iri6gW31YAcpDirEWbDXxBljjqc/s1600/4+finished.jpg" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a></div>
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I have a little painting station set up outside, and these are some of the pieces that are in flight.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGp9cbaAcslq0TjXRmKLOpPM9VbNgyzwkHInVtAKGAhbhn9D1Na5N4aFZpeDLdYvLR-4OprRD0TD2Bnpt4PZ6xPJp7t5dNAMaeqkbi_nd2GAoTPMAYCsBi1aNGbJlKfI_xvrPZkLWxLag/s1600/5+painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGp9cbaAcslq0TjXRmKLOpPM9VbNgyzwkHInVtAKGAhbhn9D1Na5N4aFZpeDLdYvLR-4OprRD0TD2Bnpt4PZ6xPJp7t5dNAMaeqkbi_nd2GAoTPMAYCsBi1aNGbJlKfI_xvrPZkLWxLag/s1600/5+painting.jpg" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a></div>
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I call this piece the "coffee can." At this point I have probably done three passes on it, and am getting close. These, my friends, are what we in the trade call "Famous Last Words."
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl0msvjK7mMiJrzpczWQ4W-KNo_oeW-1kWsp3AcZkC5QlT7k7TMuDUI_57HargrQwRNUPO1avQfDq9lMNJQByc6rneBULlTxRysjdkRTEHoMNaQFFWaI1jzwNZVO9BFU0RiTtl416Gs4/s1600/6+coffe+can+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMl0msvjK7mMiJrzpczWQ4W-KNo_oeW-1kWsp3AcZkC5QlT7k7TMuDUI_57HargrQwRNUPO1avQfDq9lMNJQByc6rneBULlTxRysjdkRTEHoMNaQFFWaI1jzwNZVO9BFU0RiTtl416Gs4/s1600/6+coffe+can+2.jpg" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a></div>
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Another pic of the coffee can, from later in the day.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5g8IwgHQu92E4i8DEG7Cg_T_aQnZG3BcyC3g2rc1gaNbRyCuiGTxkupHyKRwVFoli99WHDu-K0da3xhdyRyeORr4DjtqnisgnV2N8UB6nwzvDzMA9SyktGtfJAl2GljDels6w5Z5wrs/s1600/7+coffee+can.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5g8IwgHQu92E4i8DEG7Cg_T_aQnZG3BcyC3g2rc1gaNbRyCuiGTxkupHyKRwVFoli99WHDu-K0da3xhdyRyeORr4DjtqnisgnV2N8UB6nwzvDzMA9SyktGtfJAl2GljDels6w5Z5wrs/s1600/7+coffee+can.jpg" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a></div>
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This piece is proving hard to clean up, as it's just got so many little cuts in it. Putting all my files to good use this week, that's for sure.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmsLCRqEm8Ms-6sPTQBxKQXcJfCsaScxnTGj4zGEM6WTy_1714Y4yaVLY3_59Zbok_8bHg5fpAEwhuS5VVDOFxqn6WBr88WtsBlTNwj7TT9Lr89tlKZykjCgj_FSR4cilwE3WJOOfSMU/s1600/8+connector.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmsLCRqEm8Ms-6sPTQBxKQXcJfCsaScxnTGj4zGEM6WTy_1714Y4yaVLY3_59Zbok_8bHg5fpAEwhuS5VVDOFxqn6WBr88WtsBlTNwj7TT9Lr89tlKZykjCgj_FSR4cilwE3WJOOfSMU/s1600/8+connector.jpg" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a></div>
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The plan is to finish clean up on these pieces, mold them, and then cast them. I don't know how sturdy 3d printed parts are, nor if they can survive sitting on the side of my car. I have already seen one of them get completely ruined by sitting in the sun for about 20 minutes, so I know raw 3d printed parts are not the answer. I have started the molding process on a couple of the small connector rings.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CovoRb7KId4hJjEkNPDruZ8_qnN-nGLIR58jv5dL-BtCuT6tUc3YE_VhNTdVuiu4klyCyqKrbfV1IqxpBu2h3idQTbhhpBrNkAq9tpgNidkPWjSsVIpIBo1Ac52G2j-jatB-IFhuHZM/s1600/9+box+building+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CovoRb7KId4hJjEkNPDruZ8_qnN-nGLIR58jv5dL-BtCuT6tUc3YE_VhNTdVuiu4klyCyqKrbfV1IqxpBu2h3idQTbhhpBrNkAq9tpgNidkPWjSsVIpIBo1Ac52G2j-jatB-IFhuHZM/s1600/9+box+building+2.jpg" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a></div>
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I have started construction on a box for one of the weird looking pieces.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkgC2wS0S3KSmgCxKmvD1MDIhqF3oUXb_xBRNniN7AruPCZmhHql4eazrsKHd3CFce5yCjJJ7vXWOK8ykQNDff1Ft9VyhL4TDMXPX4Vrgr582bqYSpR5x_WOBCEl0huAkMkkJHOPnd3M/s1600/10+box+building.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkgC2wS0S3KSmgCxKmvD1MDIhqF3oUXb_xBRNniN7AruPCZmhHql4eazrsKHd3CFce5yCjJJ7vXWOK8ykQNDff1Ft9VyhL4TDMXPX4Vrgr582bqYSpR5x_WOBCEl0huAkMkkJHOPnd3M/s1600/10+box+building.jpg" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="450" /></a></div>
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Laid down some rubber on the first couple of parts.
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Because of the weird shapes of these two pieces, I decided to pour some rubber into the recesses on the front, thereby eliminating any possibility of an air pocket getting trapped in there. These pieces are really oddly shaped and there's loads of opportunity for air pockets. I shall proceed with great caution.
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This is an assortment of parts I was working on earlier today and yesterday.
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Overall things are coming along really nicely, though it's just such back breaking work.
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<P>
I'm definitely getting better at stopping short of perfection. These are going to be mounted on the side of the car. They will be painted castings, which means a lot of the detail will be lost, or simply will never be seen. I'm also taking into account that there is a "back face" to these pieces which will never be seen, and am paying even less attention to those surfaces. But it's tough. The perfectionist in me struggles against the part of me that just wants it done.
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Thanks for reading this post and for checking in. I will of course try to update this as things continue. Best bet is to check out the facebook page for "Rise of the Mattmobile" where I tend to post more often.
<P>MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-77317614442846374112017-02-11T21:16:00.001-08:002017-02-11T21:31:22.752-08:00Memories of Richard Hatch. Richard Hatch - May 21, 1945 – February 7, 2017
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It was Tuesday afternoon on Feb 7 that I got the news. A friend instant messaged me on Facebook to share a link, an online article announcing that Richard had passed on. I think I skipped all the traditional phases of mourning and went straight to sadness. With a few days having gone by, and the news being confirmed that Richard succumbed to a battle with pancreatic cancer, I thought I would join in the legion of fans and friends that have put pen to paper to record their remembrances of him.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Richard as Captain Gaz on "Loadout: Going In Hot</B></FONT></CENTER>
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What's most interesting to note about all of the comments, posts and write-ups I have read is that they all echo the same sentiments, and the same things that I have to say. That Richard was the NICEST man. That he was always generous with his time and attention. That he was a great friend. That he was a good guy. That he was one of the gems of the convention scene, and sci-fi fandom. ConDad. So Say We All. Lifetime Fan.
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Nobody has posted any half hidden, back handed compliments that you often see when someone has a dark side that nobody really wants to address after their passing. Everything everyone has to say is nothing but positive. And that's how I remember him to. He was one of the nicest, most sincere, friendliest people I have ever had the good fortune to call a friend. I will miss him dearly, and my greatest lament is that of the missed opportunities to spend time with him over the past year or so as his health must have been deteriorating. I hope that when/if I grow up, I can have the same type of temperament and personality that Richard had.
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<center><Font size-2><B>A group of friends from Wondercon, 2015</B></FONT></CENTER>
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My head is swimming with memories and fun times that he and I shared over the past couple of years, and I'm writing them down here not only to share them with others, but really just to document them for my own purposes. I'm sure one day my memory of the past few years will grow dim, and I'd prefer to not lose hold of the good memories I have of Mr. Hatch.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Dat hat, tho. Wondercon, 2015</B></FONT></CENTER>
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When I and my family first moved to America, I was of course wrapped up in the whole Star Wars craze that was sweeping the globe. And like most kids of that age, I was hungry for more, and pretty much anything would do. Which is where Battlestar Galactica really hit the mark. It was a big budget-looking tv show that filled that gap between the next Star Wars movie and the low end of the spectrum that was sci-fi tv of the time. I cannot say with certainty if I saw BSG on tv during its initial run, or if it was in re-runs. I enjoyed the show, but at the time it didn't hold sway over me like Star Wars did. I had a couple Colonial Viper ships, and a Cylon Raider, and they received equal play time among my Star Wars toys. Even at that age, my little brain felt a certain "wrongness" of blending one sci-fi universe with another, and was even more distraught by the different scales of the action figures. I was also too young to really understand many of the bits of political and social commentary that the show was trying to espouse. I was all about the space battles and killing cylons. Which is what made Richard Hatch and his portrayal of Apollo so fun. He was one of the iconic heroes of the show. Everything a leading man should be, and very inspirational to viewers of the show.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Vintage BSG Toys.</B></FONT></CENTER>
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Flash forward a few decades. The BSG reboot is on the air, and despite an internet full of initial skepticism and fear, the show turns out to be rock solid. Many would argue better than the original, though in different ways. What the original had in charm and camaraderie between fighter pilots, the new one triumphed in character development, political intrigue, and the overwhelming sense of terror this last band of humans suffered from on a moment-to-moment basis. As with the original, I watched when I could, but I wouldn't describe myself as a die-hard fan. I didn't collect the props or make any of the costumes, I just enjoyed it and watched. It was big news when Richard Hatch joined the cast and took on the role of Tom Zarek. I remember at the time thinking how awesome it was that that actor had found new work on a reboot of his original show. I thought that was extremely graceful of the new shows producers, and showed great respect to the show of the past. I would say my closest involvement with nuBSG came at this time, when I served as a model for a line of costume replicas being put out by Anovos. This just serves as a weird example of the intersect of me and BSG, I suppose.
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<center><Font size-2><B>So Say Matt Munson!</B></FONT></CENTER>
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At the time, I was living in Ohio on a work gig, and some local friends invited me to join them at a small, local con called "Ohayocon." A fellow Ohioan named Geoffrey Gay and an LA friend Thom Parham were part of a nuBSG costuming group who had set up a table there to help promote their club and get new members. The offer was I could get a free pass to the con if I worked the table for a while during the event. Of course, I was on aboard. As luck would have it, Geoff had an entire library of BSG costumes of his own, and offered to lend me one to wear during the event. It was a flight deck hand, or something. One of the orange jump suits. The con was a good time, and a nice little affair, and best of all allowed me to spend some time hanging out with Geoff and Thom and catching up with fellow attendees. Our table was set up right outside one of the panel rooms, and in the middle of the first day, we figured out that Richard Hatch was going to be hosting a panel in that very room. Something about Tom Zarek's view on government or something like that. As the hour approached, Richard was walking into the hall and stopped by the booth to check out the table and said "Great Costumes!" before heading in to give his panel. I thought that was pretty cool. I am not AT ALL one to get star struck, and nor was I at that moment. I just thought it was cool that the guy who was running a few minutes late for his panel took a minute out of his day to acknowledge some folks who were clearly dedicated fans of a property he was deeply involved with. I'm sure that my friends were too.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Richard at Comikaze in Los Angeles, doing a panel on writing with the Winner Twins</B></FONT></CENTER>
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Flash forward to Dragon Con a year or so later, and Hatch is everywhere. It was then I started to realize that Richard was a fixture in the con circuit, and was deeply loved. He was the guy that would put on your replica Viper Pilot jacket that you brought to him to sign, and then he would ask if he could wear it for the rest of the day. He would get into heated debates with fans about choices his character had made. He would accept ANY and all thumb war challenges. The best way I can describe it is this: if you're a fan, and you've built up in your mind what it would be like to meet the actor who played Apollo in real life... you will not be disappointed. He's a fans dream. Courteous, polite, friendly... awesome.
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I have a vague memory of him sitting a few stools down from me at a bar in the Marriott one night, and I thought it was pretty wild that he was one of the con guests who was out mingling with the muggles, without fear of being mobbed. Maybe it was because he was so approachable and friendly that nobody felt the need to scramble after him for an autograph... because they knew he would be there tomorrow to sign their photos and take a selfie with them.
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A couple of years later, I had written a sci-fi short film that I was Executive Producer on. We were making a live action video game adaptation of the game "Loadout" for Machinima. By this time, Richard was heavily involved in the "Fan Film" scene which had really exploded, and small film makers like myself came to realize that recognizable talent could be roped into your film without too much trouble. It's like the whole industry system was collapsing, and all kinds of great collaborative opportunities were becoming available. I thought Richard would be great for the part I had written, as he possessed not only the age and physicalities of the character I had in mind, but based on the body of his work I had witnessed, I felt he was more than capable of pulling it off.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Filming Loadout at Laurel Canyon Stages</B></FONT></CENTER>
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A friend put together a meeting for me and the director of this short film, and we all met up at the Aroma Coffee & Tea in Studio City. I don't know what to say other than I was immediately struck by just how nice he was. Here I was, an absolute nobody in the film industry, whose primary accomplishment are a bunch of dopey youtube videos and a few shorts for Machinima, and I was having a conversation with a veteran actor whose work I respect ... and he was really excited! Very mind blowing. I pitched him on the story, described the character, and we were pretty much right away at work on it. For every assertion I made about the character I wanted him to play, named "Gaz" after a friend of mine from my University days, he had a follow up question for me. As he dug deeper into the motivations and ethos of the character, it was as if the character was coming to life right in front of me. It was a surreal experience. Richard said he wanted to see a copy of the script, and we exchanged email addresses.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Loadout Table Read Chez Moi</B></FONT></CENTER>
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The next few months were great. We had costume fittings, a table read at my apartment with the entire cast, and just loads of fun and creative awesomeness that culminated in a hectic 2 day shoot. We spent one day at the famous Laurel Canyon Stages, using their frequently filmed sets, and another up north at a sand and gravel depot. Richard was the consummate professional. He had his dialog down, and killed it EVERY take. I think he is a writer and directors dream. He gives you a take or two that are on script, then starts peppering in his own dialog. Or sometimes he'll deliver the dialog as written, then end on a line or two of improv. He was focused. He wasted nobody's time. He was already ready when he was needed on set, and was always available when he was not.
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<center><Font size-2><B>On set with Richard, some cast and crew</B></FONT></CENTER>
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For me, the experience was beyond surreal. Months later, I described to Richard what it was like seeing Gaz come to life on set. I told him it was is if he had reached into my brain, and plucked out the vision I had in my head of who Gaz was. His intonations, his facial expressions, the way he carried himself and interacted with his ship and crew, Richard absolutely nailed it. He shared with me some of his process as an actor, and how he goes about finding the character. I don't know how he did it but it was pure magic to me.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Hatch makin' da magic.</B></FONT></CENTER>
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And everyone loved him. I invited a few friends along to help out with the shoot, as you do. One was a big time BSG fan who I knew would be thrilled to spend a day on set with one of his heroes, and another was a friend from high school with whom I used to hope to one day make films with. One piece of feedback I kept getting time and time again from both cast and crew is that Loadout was the most fun they had ever had on a shoot. Richard really helped set that environment, not only by being such a great guy, but also being so supportive of the other craftspeople on the show.
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<center><Font size-2><B>The cast of Loadout, and yours truly.</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
Richard held acting classes at a workshop up in the valley, and had literally been doing it for decades. He was always quick to offer insight and guidance to actors wishing to learn from him, and this was evident on set. I feel like everyone learned something from Richard during the shoot. Whether it was how to be a better actor, or just how to be a spectacular person.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Hatch holding court on set.</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
On the second day of shooting, I asked Richard if he would mind if I took a selfie to put up on the facebook page (the result of which is the first picture in this blog post), and he corrected me, saying it would be an "us-ie" as it includes more than just me in the photo. And thus a new term was born! My girlfriend Kristin joined us on set, and of course was also captured by Richards charm and friendliness. Richard had that very rare quality of having the perfect balance of charm without seeming sleezy. You KNEW he was being charming, but it never felt like he was being gross or even trying to pursue some agenda. He was just a damn charming dude, and he infected all of those around him with it.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Not just a pilot, this time he's the captain!</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
Filming came and went far more quickly than I had hoped, but Richard and I stayed in touch. We would have goofy interactions on facebook that always made me laugh, and thought provoking txt message threads that always made me contemplate. One of my favorite facebook exchanges came shortly after filming, when I posted a picture of Richard and I to my feed. A couple of in-laws commented on the picture saying things like "oh man I had such a crush on him when I was younger" and another one suggested that the crush continued to this day. My response to both of them was something like "You do realize he is probably reading this right now, right?" and almost on cue, the next response was from Richard, with his signature battle cry of "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" and assuring the ladies "I'll take whatever love I can get!!!!!".
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<center><Font size-2><B>The second day of filming on Loadout</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
That's the guy I knew him as. He was the friend who didn't treat fans like fans, but like friends. Even if you were one of those fall-on-your-face, lose-your-shit in his presence fans, he treated you like a friend. One that wanted to know what's been going on in your life, how you've been, and what you've been up to. And he treated friends like a valued treasure.
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<center><Font size-2><B>At the Geekie awards in 2016</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
We had a couple more encounters after principle photography was complete, including a trip up to the valley to record a podcast to help promote the release of the film. We sat in about 90 minutes of traffic together to get there, and we talked about all kinds of stuff. Richard told me about how amazing it was to be on Classic BGS when it was on the air. About all the horrifically long hours he would work each week, and then having it all be justified when his paycheck showed up. I may be misquoting him, but I think at the time he was one of the highest paid actors on television, if only because of the sheer number of golden hours he would rack up each week. The wrap party for Loadout was great, and it was a thrill again to see Richard interacting with so many of my friends.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Part of the Loadout "publicity tour"</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
We also had a party at Machinima and did a live stream play of the game that served as inspiration for the short. At the party, someone challenged Richard to a game of ping-pong, as there happened to be a table in the middle of the office. I thought to myself, "Oh man, I gotta get in on this action!" and then I saw Richard play and backed right the hell down. Turns out Richard is like some kind of grand master at both ping-pong AND thumb wars, though doubtfully at the same time.
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<center><Font size-2><B>At the Machinima party</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
I attended a screening of another project he worked on, "Cowboys & Engines" which also starred Walter Koenig. During the Q&A, it was great to see yet another set of filmmakers taking pride in having Richard be a part of their project, and I could tell that they enjoyed working with him as much as I did.
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With each convention Kristin and I attended, Richard was always there as a guest, and always seemed as happy to see us as we were to see him. We would religiously pose for an "us-ie" and post it to our social media accounts immediately. It was always great to hear what Richard had been up to, the new projects he was working on, or things he had in the works. He would often pull us close, and conspiratorially whisper to us some lurid tale from the past about his days as a youngster in hollywood, and assure us that that story wouldn't make it into his biography. Sometimes we would go out to dinner afterwards, sometimes we would get a drink, but it was always magical. Richard also introduced us to some amazing and talented people, many of whom I now consider friends.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Wondercon 2015 dinner with Kathrin and Richard</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
A funny chapter came later, perhaps one of the last times we saw him. Richard was telling us all about this movie he was working on at the moment. He said "oh yeah it's going to be great. The female lead is John Dykstra's daughter" to which Kristin and I both replied "you mean Chloe??" and his eyes lit up! He was suddenly fascinated once again with what a small world it is, and how we are all connected through common friends. Kristin explained to a slack-jawed Hatch that she and Chloe were part of a costuming group a few years ago, which he found both fascinating and shocking.
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<center><Font size-2><B>our last Us-ie with Richard</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
One of the things that saddens me is the missed opportunities. I was looking back on my txt messages with Richard, and saw a couple times where he had asked if I wanted to join him for some bowling, or get together for a drink. And for one reason or another, I was busy, or unable to make it. I guess I always figured there would be another chance. I mean, come on... it's Richard Hatch! He's a scene-central guy! I was just like the people at Dragon Con who didn't swamp him at the bar, because I figured I could just see him the next time. There will always be another opportunity, right? Maybe next weekend. Maybe next con.
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And then, just like that, with zero warning, there are no more opportunities.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Comikaze</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
In his last text to me, he asked me to congratulate Kristin on passing one of her exams, and told me how cool he thought my Batmobile project was. He told me to give Kristin his best. I replied telling him I would give her MY best. My next text was me wishing him a happy new year, and I never heard back.
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<center><Font size-2><B>Wondercon, 2015</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
Richard Hatch is the first friend I have lost in my life. I have known people who have died, and some of them at one time played a bigger role in my life than Richard did. But Richard's passing really hit me hard. Though not literally, I assumed he was invincible. He lived an amazing, full life. He must have spent most weekends at some convention, in some corner of the world, hanging out with fans and being the friendly ConDad that we all came to know and love, making them feel special, and being the childhood hero come to life that fans wish EVERY actor could be when you finally have the chance to meet them. From all of the friends I have whose lives were touched by Richard, be they friends, fans or co-workers, their thoughts, words and memories all align, leaving the world a much better place for them than before he came along.
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<center><Font size-2><B>The Geekie Awards, immediately after dance floor shenanigans</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
And while I am sad that the world has lost this bright light, I'm beyond thrilled that I got to enjoy his company before the opportunity passed altogether. And even for those chances that were missed, I'm thrilled for the ones that were not.
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You will be missed, good sir.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsW3BZCOFmM35xyZTfszc2SLS2p5Q4obzDawD1oB6yYhQ1NPP84szOw6LjAOc6AVQdL-cwiFiSKngGLqlgqRbXpQz7rMfSk-iEIGVaWk4hTWQTbKuely5gVjNJ5zk1R8brIbJNLLxuo6U/s1600/loadout+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsW3BZCOFmM35xyZTfszc2SLS2p5Q4obzDawD1oB6yYhQ1NPP84szOw6LjAOc6AVQdL-cwiFiSKngGLqlgqRbXpQz7rMfSk-iEIGVaWk4hTWQTbKuely5gVjNJ5zk1R8brIbJNLLxuo6U/s400/loadout+poster.jpg" width="300" height="400" /></a></div>
<center><Font size-2><B>the Loadout "Theatrical Release" one sheet poster.</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-66112973917490327662016-08-19T19:07:00.001-07:002016-08-19T19:07:27.249-07:00How To Human, Episode One: Contacting A Vendor & Doing It Right<Font size = +2><B>OR - A Brief Guide to Not Being A Total Jerk In An Online Conversation With A Commission Based Artisan / How To Get What You Want From Someone You Don't Know.</FONT></B>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Es27K2XONaMZQEYmwXOvGfvKnj8yP1tN4FhTANUGiz8LusHZvc-Ye3fiFGZ9mqFnZiBFJdHkkRnQRt_fLkihXQHsG97uSWqfR50SevYQbercB6Ut1ObSiKewRQ6A6WuV8bMa56UoKeM/s1600/pokewomon.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Es27K2XONaMZQEYmwXOvGfvKnj8yP1tN4FhTANUGiz8LusHZvc-Ye3fiFGZ9mqFnZiBFJdHkkRnQRt_fLkihXQHsG97uSWqfR50SevYQbercB6Ut1ObSiKewRQ6A6WuV8bMa56UoKeM/s320/pokewomon.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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<I><font size = -1>Team Rocket Don't Like Jerks.</font></I>
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<Font size = +1><B>Executive Summary:</B></FONT><BR> If you want to buy something from someone online, be polite when you communicate with them. Say hello. Say something nice. Ask them your question. Be brief. Say thank you. If you can't afford it, say thank you again and move on.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFBbO9cVDSaJCwMw3d9DX3NaVB0XhGwfEsvcCj-5T8wDUBGxsbES3ykDYb_dooUVEadg1Qge51hLaYSn4W8QMTjOz4h8ExzqKhG5AQjmMJy4TgM98sPkZEbzX_EtJlwXp8ZI6fDq-BxQ/s1600/executive+summary.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFBbO9cVDSaJCwMw3d9DX3NaVB0XhGwfEsvcCj-5T8wDUBGxsbES3ykDYb_dooUVEadg1Qge51hLaYSn4W8QMTjOz4h8ExzqKhG5AQjmMJy4TgM98sPkZEbzX_EtJlwXp8ZI6fDq-BxQ/s320/executive+summary.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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<I><font size = -1>To summarize, I'm an executive</font></I>
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<Font size = +1><B>Introduction & Reasons to Follow These Guidelines:</B></FONT>
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You may be thinking to yourself "Why would I want to go to all the effort of reading this blog post and following its advice, when I already know how to communicate with people and really don't need any help... ya jerk!" and you may be right. Here is a brief list of tangible reasons to follow the guidelines of communication outlined in this post:
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<OL>
<LI>You are more likely to get what you want.
</OL>
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Yup, that's about the long and the short of it. I will even expand upon this to say you are WAY more likely to get what you want. Like, 50 times more likely. Being polite not only serves your needs, but it also brings a little happiness into the life of the seller.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFGS1LcIy-KI13ajAOxByht8RaSvsZs70mpI-dNauO3sf-yD15fcbBzUWr6S3aTE5gxlP-5Xc9vS7PYZwS8FoV1k9HZOhkket_8-FE7j5W6wxAO8s3HrR5vzzbj6TYEbl89Dg2tuc1v4/s1600/musket.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFGS1LcIy-KI13ajAOxByht8RaSvsZs70mpI-dNauO3sf-yD15fcbBzUWr6S3aTE5gxlP-5Xc9vS7PYZwS8FoV1k9HZOhkket_8-FE7j5W6wxAO8s3HrR5vzzbj6TYEbl89Dg2tuc1v4/s320/musket.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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<I><font size = -1>I REALLY want a better musket!</font></I>
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Getting what you want can take many forms. It might mean, at a high level, that the seller provides you with the service you are interested in. It could also mean they get it to you faster than anticipated, because they enjoy working with you. It could mean they give it to you cheaper. It could mean they give you discounts on future purchases. It could mean they pay extra attention to ensuring quality in the piece they are making for you. It could mean they provide you with more frequent updates. Now I am not accusing a seller of avoiding these activities when encountering a rude customer, only that your chances of receiving them increase drastically when you take the time to not be a jerk.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2cBgNamwqH6EP5oVVK_vy_l-b9VJrsapHbfCCY4fjCWSCLzCqplAYMXxXah7cqVvT_I5D19yacwASgBAV3E5RBdxiO4V3sBInShqUuTchWHxYTr2N7H1qKykMI1AiFgT5pj0ymo8mrA/s1600/now.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil2cBgNamwqH6EP5oVVK_vy_l-b9VJrsapHbfCCY4fjCWSCLzCqplAYMXxXah7cqVvT_I5D19yacwASgBAV3E5RBdxiO4V3sBInShqUuTchWHxYTr2N7H1qKykMI1AiFgT5pj0ymo8mrA/s320/now.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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<I><font size = -1>NAO!!!</font></I>
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<Font size = +1><B>Who Benefits Most From These Guidelines?</B></FONT><BR>
The target audience of this post are people who communicate via vendors with emails that fall into one of the following categories:
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Rude - There's a huge chasm between being what you might consider "to the point" and coming across as a total rude jerk. Remember, email doesn't have any context to it, or history. You may be totally fine speaking to your friends of 20 years in a certain way, but that won't fly when approaching a vendor. If your email simply says "How much for foam armor" you will probably not get a favorable result. Remember, you're setting the stage for your relationship with a vendor in your first email. If you come across as rude, that's a harbinger of bad tidings.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85njG3h1VpQc5EkVYsgmrqPYbu3-Ihyphenhyphen2x_mQfsgaVaNPlIKIogMQbsmtRVvjCiBeTEH9astrO8Lr0blk_s-yX9VpDp8HZpyp9wJdV2G6NUfT7dzkc8v5KLXsnFCv8w0JJKerRJ6uTk6Q/s1600/Walter1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85njG3h1VpQc5EkVYsgmrqPYbu3-Ihyphenhyphen2x_mQfsgaVaNPlIKIogMQbsmtRVvjCiBeTEH9astrO8Lr0blk_s-yX9VpDp8HZpyp9wJdV2G6NUfT7dzkc8v5KLXsnFCv8w0JJKerRJ6uTk6Q/s320/Walter1.jpg" width="320" height="197" /></a>
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<I><font size = -1>How much for foam armor???</font></I>
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Disrespectful - Remember, a vendor doesn't owe you anything. Even when you give them money, this does not mean they are your servant. It only means that you have entered into a transaction where you have agreed to pay an amount of money for an item or service. It does not grant you the freedom to be disrespectful, demanding, or unruly in your dealings with them.
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Bad Grammar - You may think commerce transcends grammar, or that it should, but at the end of the day it doesn't. Remember that the person on the other end is a real person, trying to run a business, and would probably much rather be in the workshop building stuff rather than slogging through unanswered emails. One way to make that experience infinitely more pleasurable is to use proper grammar. Don't email using the same shorthand you might use in a text. Avoid emojis. Write in full sentences. Use spell check.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBhzuoUjjRJuXuSj9vVDEi5yOgRaRV9JgeWVaM6TVbvFf2WSVQHL0h4bkZH7hnp-HGxRyd4NCJNxayi53oaRXzNgzzavC9JJg5MzuLhlOOLJsm-8jEy1HFARx9-RlurBrTF6yiX0-K24/s1600/Joseph-Ducreux.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBhzuoUjjRJuXuSj9vVDEi5yOgRaRV9JgeWVaM6TVbvFf2WSVQHL0h4bkZH7hnp-HGxRyd4NCJNxayi53oaRXzNgzzavC9JJg5MzuLhlOOLJsm-8jEy1HFARx9-RlurBrTF6yiX0-K24/s320/Joseph-Ducreux.jpg" width="244" height="320" /></a>
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<I><font size = -1>
It will be with elated glee that I dispense funds upon you Tuesday,<BR>
for the opportunity to acquire a succulent feast of grilled ground<BR>
beef twixt a sesame seed bun on this very day.</font></I>
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Not Getting Desired Results - Tired of emailing vendors and never hearing back? Tired of hitting your head against a brick wall and getting the same results?? Maybe the problem, dear reader, is you. Switching things up and following a format that typically gets good results might be just what you need. I can say from personal experience that in general, when I get an email that is rude, I simply ignore it. Even if they are asking for an item that I know has a good profit margin, it's worth it to me to not have to deal with someone who doesn't have the common courtesy to deal with me in a respectful manner on our initial communication. I mean, come on. Come. On.
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<Font size = +1><B>How To Initiate Contact With An Artisan, Craftsman, Vendor, or Seller. With Examples.</B></FONT><BR>
Based on my decades of experience as both a vendor and a buyer, I recommend the following guidelines for your initial communication with a vendor:
<UL>
<LI>Be polite
<LI>Be brief
<LI>Use proper grammar
<LI>Say nice things
<LI>Introduce yourself
<LI>Try to form some kind of connection with the seller
<LI>Ask your questions clearly
<LI>Be polite
<LI>Above all else, be polite
</UL>
To make things simple, as people tend to have different perspectives on what it means to be polite, I will provide you with a formal structure to use on your introductory inquiry to any vendor. I feel very confident that following this simple structure will position you to have the most success possible with the vendor. And remember, the benefit to following this formula is that you get what you want. Here's the format:
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<TABLE Width=75%>
<TR><TD>
[Salutation] [Name of vendor],<BR>
[introduce yourself]<BR>
[Brief detail of how you found vendor]<BR>
[Praise of vendors work]<BR>
[Description of item you are interested in]<BR>
[Specifics of inquiry, as needed]<BR>
[Thank vendor for their time and attention]<BR>
Sincerely,[your name]<BR>
</TD></TR></TABLE></CENTER>
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That's it!! It really doesn't take too much effort to put an email like this together, and I PROMISE you it will maximize your results. Let me give you a few practical examples:
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<TABLE Width=75%>
<TR><TD>
Greetings Punished Props,<BR>
My name is Matt and I am a rabid Overwatch enthusiast. I was scanning through my facebook feed the other day and a picture of you came up holding what looked like a battle axe from Skyrim. Truly impressive work! It looked like it came straight out of the game! I am interested in seeing if you make the pistols that Tracer uses in Overwatch? If not is it something you might consider taking on as a commission? If so, please let me know what the price would be and when you might be able to fit it into your schedule.
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Thank you so much for your time and attention. I look forward to hearing back from you.
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Sincerely, Matt
</TD></TR></TABLE></CENTER>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxzqSStDQ3AUdQfTxNOsMaTWe6RZhB9O4gmh17ITYz5HDE8rIDHbCNdrQ1AdZbP9Ay_YhpfI_fCD28OQJ2t7JI-EqLiHIr4OIVwwO3j6LkKqYIKc3s70_8Zic0CHlGljkqn7xOJtEiOA/s1600/tracer.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxzqSStDQ3AUdQfTxNOsMaTWe6RZhB9O4gmh17ITYz5HDE8rIDHbCNdrQ1AdZbP9Ay_YhpfI_fCD28OQJ2t7JI-EqLiHIr4OIVwwO3j6LkKqYIKc3s70_8Zic0CHlGljkqn7xOJtEiOA/s320/tracer.jpg" width="225" height="320" /></a>
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<I><font size = -1>Does this pose objectify me?</FONT></I>
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Here's another one, with a request for alternate vendors:
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<TABLE Width=75%>
<TR><TD>
Hello Volpin Props!
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It's a pleasure to be writing to you, as I must confess I am a huge fan of your work. I have followed your blog and facebook page for ages now, and have learned so much. Thank you so much for sharing all of your prop build walkthroughs. I even saw you speak at PAX one year, which was really great and informative. I am writing today to inquire about a helmet from my favorite anime, "Appleseed." I'm interested in commissioning you to build a Briarios helmet as seen in the first feature film. I am working on a limited budget, so any flexibility you might have in time frame or materials would be greatly appreciated. If you don't have the time or interest in this project, might you be able to point me in the direction of someone you know who can help?
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Thank you in advance for taking the time to reply to my email.
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Sincerely,<BR>
Matt
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And here's one where I'm just looking to buy a catalog item that they sell, though it's needed by a certain date:
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<TABLE Width=75%>
<TR><TD>
Dear Miss Sarley,<BR>
As a fellow PokemonGo enthusiast I was absolutely thrilled to stumble across your website <a href="http://www.fatalfox.com">www.fatalfox.com</a> where you are offering team themed clothing. Your designs are absolutely amazing, and I can't believe stuff like yours isn't already in stores! So great!! I would love to get my hands on one of your Team Mystic hoodies. If you can please let me know what the total plus shipping to area code 92625 will be, and how I can best arrange for payment, I will get it sent to you immediately. I am hosting a PG party at the end of the month, and am hoping that leaves enough time for us to complete this transaction.<BR>
Thanks so much for making these available. You rock!<BR>
Sincerely,<BR>
Matt
</TD></TR></TABLE></CENTER>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSmAMz6m_PqFXvPA8pfquokI3oFaxz8k23MecOwG5YXxD8w1W9GKYwt-dvQTgqS65g52hyphenhyphenaC9oWDU6Djfep7k5ppZAhZ8sxIywrhv-S7-EhkYQMbYhL3jKIN2MNnhQAWfIjLWNkm91hI/s1600/milynn.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSmAMz6m_PqFXvPA8pfquokI3oFaxz8k23MecOwG5YXxD8w1W9GKYwt-dvQTgqS65g52hyphenhyphenaC9oWDU6Djfep7k5ppZAhZ8sxIywrhv-S7-EhkYQMbYhL3jKIN2MNnhQAWfIjLWNkm91hI/s320/milynn.jpg" width="256" height="320" /></a>
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<I><font size = -1>Team Mystic? Really??</FONT></I>
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<P>
Please feel free to cut and paste this text and customize it to fit your particular needs. And if you have success with them, please drop me a line or write a comment below telling me how it worked out for you. If you have your own suggestions, or ways this format can be improved, please do the same. It's really not that hard, requires only a few minutes of effort, and will yield incredible results.
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<Font size = +1><B>What To Do If They Don't Respond?</B></FONT><BR>
Sometimes vendors get busy. In fact, that's typically an ideal case for an artisan who earns a living based on commission work. They might have a giant queue of emails in their in box, or perhaps they have a certain block of time set aside during the week that they take away from the work of actually producing items for answering emails. Don't let your enthusiasm (or lack of patience) dictate how long a vendor has to respond to your email. I think one week is a very reasonable time frame for a vendor to reply to your inquiry. If a week goes by, I believe you have two possible courses of action.
<OL>
<LI>Email them a second time, but do it in a polite, tactful way. For example: "Greetings Vendor Joe, I wrote to you last week to inquire about your <specialty item such and such> but did not hear back from you. Knowing how busy you must be, and how spam filters have a knack for sometimes routing important emails to a spam folder, I thought I would take a moment to write again to confirm that you received my original email. I am very eager to do business with you, and look forward to your reply. Thank you again for your time."
<LI>Take your business elsewhere. Perhaps this seller just isn't good at communicating, and I can promise you from experience that is never a good trait upon which to build a commerce based relationship. If they don't have the business sense to answer your inquiry within a week, or the business model/availability that supports it, do the smart thing and don't do business with them.
</OL>
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<Font size = +1><B>What To Do If You Cannot Afford The Price They Are Asking?</B></FONT><BR>
Sometimes, the item you are interested in is simply not within your price range. Don't take this as a personal insult, and more importantly don't take this as an opportunity to inform the seller that their price is too high... for you. (I've written a separate blog post about this very topic. <a href="http://mattmunson.blogspot.com/2013/01/materials-time-creativity.html">Check it out here</a>) As a rule of thumb, artisans work long and hard on the items they are offering for sale, and to be frank it's deeply insulting when someone tells them that they feel their price is too high. If it is indeed too high for the market to bear, the market will tell them that pretty quickly. They don't need you and your limited understanding of their financial goals or value of their skills to inform them of it. Just let it go.
(elsa)
If the price of the item you want is too high, I believe you have two options to chose from. In sticking with the guideline of "be polite" in this article, you should execute one of the following:
<UL>
<LI>Tell the seller thank you for responding to you, but you are unable to afford the item at this time.
<LI>Ask the seller (Politely) if they are firm on their price. Sometimes sellers add in a little "wiggle room" to their pricing so that they can offer discounts to a customer who perhaps is ordering more than one item. Or maybe they have an inventory they are interested in liquidating, and would consider knocking a few bucks off to make it more attractive. Wording here is important. If you are polite, a vendor just might be willing to work with you on price.
Then there's a whole list of things NOT to do when you don't like the price. Though this list is not by any means exhaustive, here are some things that you should NOT do under any circumstances.
<LI>Tell the seller that he is price gouging
<LI>Tell the seller that they are an idiot for expecting that much money for something as simple as the thing you are trying to buy.
<LI>Tell the seller that for that price, you could just make your own.
<LI>Tell the seller that you are poor and deserve a lower price than what they are asking.
<LI>Tell the seller that they would make a lot more money and have a much better business if they would just sell the item to you at a price that works for you.
<LI>Tell the seller pretty much anything other than one of the two options I listed above.
<LI>Promise the seller further purchases in the future if they can just cut you a good deal on this item today. (please see "I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today" for further insight)
<LI>Tell the seller that they would make a fortune if they would cut their price in half, as they would sell twice as many.
<LI>Tell the seller that you know how much materials for the build would cost, and it's WAY less than what they're charging!
<LI>Tell the seller that it's for charity
</UL>
And worst of all , for the love of god, no matter what you do, under no circumstances should you ever say the following thing to a vendor, in any form:
<UL>
<LI>It will be great exposure for you, so giving it to me for free or at a deep discount is the smart thing to do.
</UL>
<P>
There is a whole movement on the internet discussing the fallacy of "exposure bucks" and I highly encourage any person interested in offering exposure as a form of compensation to research it. Perhaps you will learn a thing or two about commerce and the artisan. Wil Wheaton has done some excellent thought leadership on the topic and I highly recommend his blog.
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<Font size = +1><B>Future Dialogs With The Vendor</B></FONT><BR>
Let's say your initial email gets a fairly quick response from the vendor, with pricing information that works with your budget, and everything seems to be doing smoothly. My advice for future communications with the vendor is this: maintain your politeness, and let the vendor dictate communication styles. If the vendor starts using emoji and txt-like abbreviations, take that as a cue to change your communication style. If the vendor skips a formal greeting like or sign off, that means you can do the same. Adapt to THEIR style of communication, but always be polite.
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<Font size = +1><B>What About When The Deal Is Done?</B></FONT><BR>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkq4mTA7o1qs9A2dnYe1ROWhA89AMpcAY8Li7Xu1vcMW19QatP_k7sWiXdFL140SB6tXt0EKCBFTzllbcgMj38WcZeVQgFqk1mBoB4ZVN-i0__P7CVJxrRtrSkgme5O2sOR_uXKhtICf4/s1600/kenny.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkq4mTA7o1qs9A2dnYe1ROWhA89AMpcAY8Li7Xu1vcMW19QatP_k7sWiXdFL140SB6tXt0EKCBFTzllbcgMj38WcZeVQgFqk1mBoB4ZVN-i0__P7CVJxrRtrSkgme5O2sOR_uXKhtICf4/s320/kenny.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a>
<BR>
<I><font size = -1>Was I supposed to fold? Or was it hold?</FONT></I>
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<P>
<P>
As with things in real life, maintaining a relationship with a vendor can be a wonderful thing. They might have stuff in the future that you want to buy! Maybe they are a really cool person and you want to be friends! Who knows! When you finally receive the item you paid for, you should put a bow in the entire affair by sending them a thank you email. It doesn't have to be long, or even full of praise. Just write them a quick note that says "I received the battle axe today and it's great. Thanks so much for all of the hard work you put into it." or something like that. It can even be shorter if you want, but it REALLY SHOULD BE something. Leaving the vendor hanging after they send off something that they probably put their heart and soul into is dismissive and insulting. If you're happy with your purchase, take five seconds out of your day to let them know. A tiny bit of effort from you could very well be the difference between them having a great day, or having a crappy one. After all, sifting through all of the emails from people who HAVEN'T read this article has got to be heartbreaking.
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Thank you for reading this! If you have had an experience that supports (or doesn't!!) what's written in this article please post in the comments below. If there's anything you think should be added, that would help too!
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Thank you Bill Doran for your feedback on this article.
MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-40422280874124815692015-10-20T16:21:00.001-07:002015-10-20T16:21:38.816-07:00Multipass Video Tutorial Is Coming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeEv6Zx6LjjcjacioIziWR9CUn-zG3-qqYTOBLNBbNIPX1wYQLCr5Fy1iLraqBhO9lYMs4f0IgCfDuqyn-5SbySo4DBdduLyTbLVZzOnuNSzLoSCYFpAfeoxRNMIc8AtYwsfuxatpnVs/s1600/multipass+work+in+progress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeEv6Zx6LjjcjacioIziWR9CUn-zG3-qqYTOBLNBbNIPX1wYQLCr5Fy1iLraqBhO9lYMs4f0IgCfDuqyn-5SbySo4DBdduLyTbLVZzOnuNSzLoSCYFpAfeoxRNMIc8AtYwsfuxatpnVs/s400/multipass+work+in+progress.jpg" /></a></div>
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Just a quick pic of a build up I am in the middle of. It's going together really quickly, so I decided it was finally time to do a video tutorial. As soon as I'm done with this build I will start.
Stay tuned for more!MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-62791920299580082532015-09-27T18:26:00.001-07:002015-09-27T18:26:15.650-07:00Investing - A Simple Strategy That Just Might Work.From time to time, I get asked for insight on investing in the stock market. I always have the same, fairly short answers, so I thought it would be smart to simply write my whole investing philosophy down and commit it to my blog.
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I'll provide the executive summary here, rather than at the end. Be sure to read the entire post to make sense of each of these points.
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<UL>
<LI>Assume that America will survive, will grow, and will prosper.
<LI>Plan to build wealth over time, not get rich quick.
<LI>Start today.
<LI>Manage your own money.
<LI>Open an account at a brokerage house.
<LI>Your goal is to follow the market, not beat it.
<LI>Follow a Buy and Hold strategy.
<LI>Buy an S&P 500 index fund.
<LI>Invest a fixed amount every month, more if you are able
<LI>Roll your dividends and profits back into your investment account.
</UL>
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Now let's dig into each of those points a little deeper, and give a better explanation of the reasoning behind them.
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My entire strategy hinges on one key assumption: that America will continue. That the USA will continue to grow, to exist, and to prosper. If you do not share this assumption, then my investment strategy is not for you. If you DO believe this, then I have some very simple advice to offer you. The strategy I believe in will not get you rich quick. It will make you money over time, assuming our key assumption plays out. It will net you a lot more money than just putting it into a savings account, and in my opinion is one of the best investment strategies around. It's simple, it's safe, it's affordable, and best of all as America grows, so does your net worth.
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If you haven't seen the movie "Wolf of Wall Street" yet, I highly recommend it. There's a great little scene in there were Matthew McCaunahey's character is explaining the fundamentals of the investment business to newcomer what's his name.
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Your first assignment is to watch this entire video.
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wM6exo00T5I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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The crux of it is this: the people trying to "help" you invest your money and increase your net worth are actually just trying to make money for themselves. SURPRISE! Go figure, right? Turns out, this is entirely true.
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Almost universally, financial advice, management or leadership comes with a stiff price tag, be it implied or actual. Every time your investment manager convinces you to do a trade to better position yourself to outpace the market, he gets a commission. Every time you buy a product from them, they get a commission. There's an old joke about money managers: they will continue to manage your money until they've managed it all into their pockets. The other oddity about money managers is that almost universally, they don't know more than you do. They don't have access to any more information than you do, or that which is publically available. What they have is an infrastructure, one which is created to craft the illusion that they can help you beat the stock market, and turn your dollars into millions. The truth is far less appealing. Where do you think they get the money to pay for the big offices, the commercials that run during prime time tv, the bonuses that they pay for their best sellers? They get it from you, the investor. So this begs the question, why give your money to them when it can be put to work for you?
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The highest earning sales guys (and that's exactly what they are, sales guys) will tell you that on your own, you don't stand a chance of outpacing the market, and that with them, they can leverage their giant network and access to help make that happen. This is nothing but a sales ploy, in order to get their hands on your money so they can fee you into oblivion.
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I say all of this to set up the first pillar of my investing strategy: Manage your own money. Open an account with a brokerage house like Fidelity, and make your own decisions. Don't give your money to some money manager who is free to move it around as he sees fit, and charge you fees with every change. Shop around for a place that you like. There are plenty of them out there. Find a place where you can put your money, manage your trades yourself. Typically there's a transaction fee for each trade, and they will vary. There are lots of great discount brokerages that offer very low transaction fees, and great service. Find the place that works best for you. There are loads of online resources for finding a good place to keep your money. I use Fidelity.
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Let's go back to that primary assumption I spoke about earlier. The belief that America will continue to survive and prosper. A brief look at the stock market will show that in general, over time, it has shown improvements and has continued to grow. Just like America. I remember in the late 90's when the Dow Jones Industrial Average broke 10,000 and we were all stunned. Since then it has almost doubled. So since the DJIA began being calculated in 1896, up until the late 90's we go to 10,000, and then less than 20 years later we've almost doubled. THAT is incredible growth. For some reason investors are obsessed with beating the market, when simply FOLLOWING the market will show significant returns over time. FAR superior returns to many other investing vehicles that are available.
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This leads to my second pillar: The plan is to follow the market, not beat it. By simply following the market, working under the assumption that America will survive, you stand to make a lot of money over time. Pull up a chart that shows the growth of the S&P 500 over the past 20 years. If those seem like acceptable gains to you, then we are on the same track here. The problem with trying to beat the market is that you need one of two things: critical information on which companies are going to grow unexpectedly over time, or a bunch of money, time AND BLIND LUCK to constantly shift your money into higher earning stocks. Remember, nobody knows which stocks are about to explode. Anyone who tells you that they know is trying to sell you something. And by that, I mean "part you from your money". Remember that moving money around in the stock market costs money. The fees are what will whittle down your nest egg, and rob you of any gains that you make over time. Nobody can predict the stock market. If they could, they would literally own all the money in the world. Even just a slight advantage over time would lead to someone with extra-market knowledge to a position where they would literally own everything. So put aside the fantasy that you can outthink the market, or that you know someone who can do it for you. That's a fantasy. Which leads us conveniently to the next point:
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Follow a buy and hold strategy. Shifting money costs money. For every story you hear about a savvy investor who moves his money around frequently and has gotten rich, there are thousands of stories of people who lost tons of money following the same strategy. For many investors, investing in stocks is akin to gambling. They get a good feeling about a company, or a friend gives them a tip about a company THEY have a good feeling about, so they throw a bunch of money at it and cross their fingers. And they lose. Just like gambling at a casino. And honestly, gambling at a casino is more fun because you get free drinks and just might get a free room. Recall that the strategy you are following here is to build wealth over decades, so that when you are ready to retire, you are sitting on a giant pile of cash. If your goal is to get rich quick by identifying companies that are about to blow up, I can assure you that your time, money, and efforts are better spent at the race track or casino, where at least you will have fun losing your money. Once you buy a stock, don't sell it. Don't let the ups and downs of the market force you into thinking that you need to sell. That is the path to the poor house. The sad thing is, this is what many investors do. When they see a drop in the stock price, they sell out of fear that the stock is about to crash. What happens is they lose a chunk of their original investment, and then move onto another stock... where the cycle repeats. Folks, here's how the market works: it goes up and down. it fluctuates. There will be days when you see the value of your investment go down. There will be days when the value of your investment goes up. But over the course of decades, if you believe that America will survive and it continues to do so, you will see your investment grow into something huge. Buy a stock, and hold onto it. Don't sell until you are in your retirement.
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And now we really hit the biggest question of all. Which stocks do I buy? The answer is really simple. I recommend you buy an index fund, one that tracks the S&P 500. The S&P 500 is a broad index that covers a large part of the market, and in my opinion, is a good metric of how America is doing. While the Dow Jones is a more well known index, it follows large companies that are more industry leaders than representative of how America is doing. That's just my opinion. Research this if you are curious. There are all kinds of indices as out there, and all kinds of funds that follow them. I like the S&P 500 because it's broad, it's general... it's America. Once you sign up with a brokerage, find which funds or spiders they have that track the S&P 500, and start buying. Look for a no-load fund. That means there are no extra fees on the front when you are buying, and none on the back when you are selling.
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How much should you buy? As much as you can afford, and as often as you can. Do not let market fluctuations thwart you. If the market is up one week and the spider you want to buy is more expensive than it was last week, DO NOT try to wait it out and see if the price drops. It might be MORE expensive next week. Trying to outthink the market is NOT the game you want to be in. You want to be the slow and steady investor who is completely unemotional. I recommend you set aside a part of each paycheck that you dedicate to investing. If you can afford 100 dollars, do that. If you can afford more, do that. If you can afford less, do that. There are a number of investment strategies out there that dictate how much to buy each period. For example, if the stock happens to be low when your paycheck arrives, you buy a little more. If it happens to have gone up, you buy the fixed amount you typically buy. This helps reduce the peril of emotional purchases, but also helps you hit it a little harder on the downside. Personally, I think a simple strategy is the best one, where you just buy what you can each month. Set a minimum that you are comfortable with, and stick with that NO MATTER WHAT. If you can afford to buy more on a particular month, do that. The key here is that you are consistent. Don't sit out the month of December because you need that extra money to buy gifts. Budget your money so that you have money available, but are still able to buy your monthly stock.
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When should you start investing? Right away. Today. Yesterday would have been better, but today is just as good. Remember, trying to outthink the market is a fool's errand, and anyone who tells you they can is trying to sell you something, or to steal your money. Don't sit on your money hoping that the market will be softer next week. It might not. And whatever you heard on CNBC to suggest that it will could be utter nonsense.
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One of my favorite parables about investing is this one: Even the blind squirrel finds the occasional acorn. I bring this up because the investing industry is full of these blind squirrels. People are screaming at the top of their lungs that they saw the housing crash coming, that they knew the fed was going to lower rates, that they saw such and such coming from a mile away, etc. It's all ex post facto posturing. And while the squirrel may have indeed correctly predicted a certain event coming or transpiring, that in no way means they are aware of the next one. I have been reading financial news, articles and blogs on and off for 25 years now, and honestly they have all been saying the same thing over and over and over. And remember, they're ALL trying to sell you something. Whether it's tuning into their show so you are forced to watch the commercials, paying for the latest issue of their online paper, or flat out buying their investing product, the whole money making industry is geared around taking your money from you, not making money for you. My point here is that you shouldn't listen to any "expert" whose ultimate goal is to sell you something.
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My last piece of strategic advice is to roll your dividends and profits straight back into your account. If any of the companies in your index pay out dividends, don't take that out as cash, but instead be sure to invest that money straight back into your nest egg. Many places offer to do this automatically, which is an option you should definitely take. It's basically compound interest, which is where great gains can be made over time.
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I think the only rebuttal to my strategy is really this question: But what about Birkshire Hathaway? Warren Buffet is probably the single most successful and popular investor on the planet. He makes piles of money investing, and typically outpaces the market. He is really the golden egg laying goose. The man and his company really know what they are doing, and I respect them tremendously. I personally would recommend them as an alternative investing strategy, because they have consistently shown themselves to be profitable. I think the only caveat is that their run could just as easily end tomorrow. Buffet could die, and the new guy that takes over could be a total schmuck. Remember that the first question I asked you was about America surviving. If you believe that and it turns out to be true, then the strategy I have outlined will be successful. You do not have the same level of certainty with BH. I actually really like Birkshire Hathaway, but I prefer to be in control of my own money, so I follow my own strategy.
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And that's it! That's all you need to know. Remember, the real key to my strategy is that money managers are really just self serving, and don't have any true insight into the market or mastery of money making. If they did, they sure as heck wouldn't share it with us! By managing your own money, you save a fortune on fees, and will ride along with the market as American continues to grow.
Good luck!
MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-52584849211125556482015-08-24T01:10:00.000-07:002015-08-24T01:10:00.185-07:00MattMobile Steering Wheel and Vac Form TableAnother great few days of productivity and much as been accomplished! Let us start off with a little show and tell.
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Here is my recently acquired steering wheel for the MattMobile:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhEBbjM_ai3FHO2Ma7v3rK2O8MlcfqwNRUSxveiQY4QCriBdbPAZ8ODEN5E3YyCvqxE2V8h27fxgzsG4I0C4-jjIY97h61T8GZPovi4URy_yubno7bEFmHU4tszbaO1O3lA_tsb9Zl2o/s1600/0+steering+wheel+batmobile.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhEBbjM_ai3FHO2Ma7v3rK2O8MlcfqwNRUSxveiQY4QCriBdbPAZ8ODEN5E3YyCvqxE2V8h27fxgzsG4I0C4-jjIY97h61T8GZPovi4URy_yubno7bEFmHU4tszbaO1O3lA_tsb9Zl2o/s400/0+steering+wheel+batmobile.jpg" /></a>
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To my eye, it is perfect! I can't wait to get it installed.
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While kicking around ideas for the <a href="http://mattmunson.blogspot.com/search/label/Wonder%20Woman">Wonder Woman Dawn of Justice shield</a>, which I am also blogging about, I decided it would be in my best interest to build my own vac forming table. It's something I've wanted for a long time, but never really had a great reason to build. But with this project upon me, the timing was right. I watched a few youtube videos on how they are made, and to get a good machine up and running seems surprisingly simple. I already have a shop vac, so most of the expense is already done.
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I started with a piece of plywood that I had lying around the shop. I believe this is left over wood from the Tardis build. I cut a couple 26" x 26" squares. I then measured off a grid of 1"x1" squares.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYLeVvFFL3JymtribRXss2zC7OwIdwJwkf44lS4JVMoc0bf8Y0lsPeGl9RQoBnFxwZBO4l5HlUf9AdZRwvxq2rBVfEIhS0hLST_YdUUzwhsHl4V9whCY9eC59kw69DoIlwJuqU_yFeWI/s1600/1+grid+drawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYLeVvFFL3JymtribRXss2zC7OwIdwJwkf44lS4JVMoc0bf8Y0lsPeGl9RQoBnFxwZBO4l5HlUf9AdZRwvxq2rBVfEIhS0hLST_YdUUzwhsHl4V9whCY9eC59kw69DoIlwJuqU_yFeWI/s400/1+grid+drawn.jpg" /></a>
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The fun really began when I had to drill out all of those holes. Tedious, but really no way around it.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96sHFLv9HQD2mmcfm5BMMg_lsC2-u2r3Sk6mQnCFVzo1y7VAbFnaQ8FZ_BCn-vF6C0Yc0w3cqEB6R8bSL41vX3xnz66EkiE0aWQlrPQcyk3zKXDjF0OjZyxu7IgpEvEbCwh7Q7sOU9ks/s1600/2+holes+drilled.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96sHFLv9HQD2mmcfm5BMMg_lsC2-u2r3Sk6mQnCFVzo1y7VAbFnaQ8FZ_BCn-vF6C0Yc0w3cqEB6R8bSL41vX3xnz66EkiE0aWQlrPQcyk3zKXDjF0OjZyxu7IgpEvEbCwh7Q7sOU9ks/s400/2+holes+drilled.jpg" /></a>
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I then cut out the walls and glued them into place on the top piece.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjgQiRej_Nqqkv3JGtrQtayCswpUs15CnfMJ5nvoy880WVozmGV5RRFgFOoWHjJHsdchTZwmW6YJI1Y8f6d4ZPrx0nZm51HCJr_YctYyZEv2aJY9lcX9YVK3tKH6ORIoz8KBEBQS3dnQ/s1600/3+walls+attached.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjgQiRej_Nqqkv3JGtrQtayCswpUs15CnfMJ5nvoy880WVozmGV5RRFgFOoWHjJHsdchTZwmW6YJI1Y8f6d4ZPrx0nZm51HCJr_YctYyZEv2aJY9lcX9YVK3tKH6ORIoz8KBEBQS3dnQ/s400/3+walls+attached.jpg" /></a>
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A few wood screws later and it was time to attach the base.
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And no, I didn't drop it.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJFV1OLTJTSd-mJdpV6Rvy7siHbqoVxfViRllSZpi2c637F-zz6LmIPeFYPo26TnQVB3g7I-3QAfMwu_epqoheatzcGCSSVPq7h_voYJvXCw0gxq2E0Ohyphenhyphen4NeyYIGsVtNP29B7nWau5A/s1600/4+base+attacjed.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJFV1OLTJTSd-mJdpV6Rvy7siHbqoVxfViRllSZpi2c637F-zz6LmIPeFYPo26TnQVB3g7I-3QAfMwu_epqoheatzcGCSSVPq7h_voYJvXCw0gxq2E0Ohyphenhyphen4NeyYIGsVtNP29B7nWau5A/s400/4+base+attacjed.jpg" /></a>
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I then used a hole boring drill bit and a set of metal files to carve out the hole for the hose. Fits like a glove!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlAsG83q7obUgz9T4xoqe7IGnwHxodVNVkVDuysY0vywX75b7rrQ92zcYogdxA3VusdxJXI-SWbvK4I1aAb8526AJDdNi8J2e1AVCuDqfRT7sK9D1VHFtLBxzs9djQ3lIhOlTqdIH-FI/s1600/5+hose+installed.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlAsG83q7obUgz9T4xoqe7IGnwHxodVNVkVDuysY0vywX75b7rrQ92zcYogdxA3VusdxJXI-SWbvK4I1aAb8526AJDdNi8J2e1AVCuDqfRT7sK9D1VHFtLBxzs9djQ3lIhOlTqdIH-FI/s400/5+hose+installed.jpg" /></a>
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And after a couple short hours of work, the table was complete. The next thing I need to do is build a frame for holding the plastic, and a chimney to channel the heat from the heating source. Honestly I think the hardest part of this project will be finding a good heat source. I already have a few things in mind, but the bummer is heaters are out of season right now.
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Anyhow, that's it for now! I'll post again once I have some more progress.MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-20121842731893685762015-08-18T22:32:00.000-07:002015-08-18T22:32:49.272-07:00Superman Returns Cape Progress and BreakthroughMuch is afoot with the Superman Returns cape recently. The other day I reviewed a bunch of my old blog posts on the topic, and was reminded of a lot of things I had forgotten.
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I am once again revisiting the fabric. I'm sad to say that if you snooze, you lose. This proved to be true recently in my case. A year or so ago, I found some great fabric in the fashion district which was 65" wide. I purchased enough for a couple of capes. I went back the other day to buy more, and they are all sold out. Should have gotten the whole bolt.
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I still have other options. One is a VERY nicely colored heavy weight jersey knit. I currently have enough for two capes. In my older blog posts, I was lamenting the fact that I couldn't seem to get the center crease out of it. I even took it to the dry cleaner to have them press it out. I don't know why I didn't think of it then, but all it needed was a good wash in the washing machine. I did this just today with this length, and voila, the crease is gone. In this pic, the fabric is draped across my dinner table drying.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZz_8CARWyeBM_85ROnqbO1qZxAfJpkyBFGdCseW92ucj75KtwF6YNM6JZZ4cnq5hC-JIiYrw3TRTsBVGXs5dh5Qei6Xf0GSyUh3WkOj_jyOIeg94tnI53-fAejVKTPj5wRr4GXyWA1I/s1600/1+cape+fabric+drying.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZz_8CARWyeBM_85ROnqbO1qZxAfJpkyBFGdCseW92ucj75KtwF6YNM6JZZ4cnq5hC-JIiYrw3TRTsBVGXs5dh5Qei6Xf0GSyUh3WkOj_jyOIeg94tnI53-fAejVKTPj5wRr4GXyWA1I/s400/1+cape+fabric+drying.jpg" /></a>
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But I digress. Let's get back to the workshop and talk about the cape mold. As you will recall, I am using a latex from the Motion Picture FX company to do my cape layups.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKwcB1lYGfZbjUjM1v6vlzsD6h4v_zrzyvnnhu_kXkqXTYMdOQo7p6EzcR1Ym5T2Pw9SRaWsI84bLW1Epuoql7g8xUtQsaodtzKmY3CnJnzSKtLILOPlTttVzbOVDJ9f67S9Sdj-fFFA/s1600/2+latex.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKwcB1lYGfZbjUjM1v6vlzsD6h4v_zrzyvnnhu_kXkqXTYMdOQo7p6EzcR1Ym5T2Pw9SRaWsI84bLW1Epuoql7g8xUtQsaodtzKmY3CnJnzSKtLILOPlTttVzbOVDJ9f67S9Sdj-fFFA/s400/2+latex.jpg" /></a>
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The other night, after reading some stuff online, I decided to experiment with my spray gun, to see if the latex I am using can be sprayed, and better yet if it will stick to the mold properly. I figured this would save me a ton of time and hassle if it works.
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Sure enough, my spray gun is indeed able to spray the stuff. It's not perfect, and I will probably purchase a cup gun shortly, but the idea is sound. Next step was to see how it would work on a silicone mold.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgua8clL4Gz7IfbnhZw3ZGkZ7AS1cNBhiVPhgdnMZpZk82GCQJ1bOMim7hbdV1zIcLYQ1B68ZxeBwaQ79U9yL6kzYZqJ8FpPPEOGaUfKZH8s7AGltAh7O1KmLt0YNB9prl6hZ_6IHv5ejc/s1600/4+cape+sprayed+into.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgua8clL4Gz7IfbnhZw3ZGkZ7AS1cNBhiVPhgdnMZpZk82GCQJ1bOMim7hbdV1zIcLYQ1B68ZxeBwaQ79U9yL6kzYZqJ8FpPPEOGaUfKZH8s7AGltAh7O1KmLt0YNB9prl6hZ_6IHv5ejc/s400/4+cape+sprayed+into.jpg" /></a>
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As you can see below, it worked AMAZINGLY!
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The latex went on nice and thin, extremely smooth, evenly, AND it didn't pull up from the silicone at all. I was thrilled!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJew_qqkJdXeX_gv7a07rV7_a5tZEdjag3ULsyAzZtUaqHByRrlI2AiGmmfilQN37LtqeXZhBhSVg_dHiFfuJiiqdxOjmSWY-_hdZIYh2LVeANeW21TEsSsGjaXd8GjhdG9dj9cGusLXo/s1600/3+back+plate+spray+testing+start.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJew_qqkJdXeX_gv7a07rV7_a5tZEdjag3ULsyAzZtUaqHByRrlI2AiGmmfilQN37LtqeXZhBhSVg_dHiFfuJiiqdxOjmSWY-_hdZIYh2LVeANeW21TEsSsGjaXd8GjhdG9dj9cGusLXo/s400/3+back+plate+spray+testing+start.jpg" /></a>
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I put the fan on it and let it dry for a few minutes. I peeled up the corner to see how it looked. Absolutely perfect.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAVbNnuqA76K23FyvDo-lwNKejP7Ymf_ybC93vN00ercbcp1YwJ-2breVQ2-lzrnq5VLEiFL17CJ4GjM9bWgF2x9c-Aw5paC_RSymJ7cghLGHc0dBqeUFaN2eOS8UdUQ3XPRAPCkTaiM/s1600/5+back+plate+sprayed+into.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAVbNnuqA76K23FyvDo-lwNKejP7Ymf_ybC93vN00ercbcp1YwJ-2breVQ2-lzrnq5VLEiFL17CJ4GjM9bWgF2x9c-Aw5paC_RSymJ7cghLGHc0dBqeUFaN2eOS8UdUQ3XPRAPCkTaiM/s400/5+back+plate+sprayed+into.jpg" /></a>
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Here's a close up. The punchline is that it captured every tiny detail. No bubbles. Zero bubbles. It feels like it's christmas time!
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Also, for reference, please note the color difference between the wet latex and how it looks after it's dry. When it's wet, it looks bright pink. When dry, it's dark red. And that is MADDENING! It's essentially impossible to mix the color of latex on sight, as it changes so drastically once it dries. This has proven to be a pain in my rear for many years now. But read on, dear reader, for there is good news ahead.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSw21B6HGxS3mEUmvbc9vd0wj5J01P4UcJUJDVM_cqQ2Go8_FXiOVWgjFys-CLIKhZd-NSb7Gf9uURqDDHTvCLzWr8qCoxN6aRgqgJOh-uyAC4PVxv1SGxhANDVHiJBbfmgEnXC3_IJFw/s1600/6+back+plate+close+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSw21B6HGxS3mEUmvbc9vd0wj5J01P4UcJUJDVM_cqQ2Go8_FXiOVWgjFys-CLIKhZd-NSb7Gf9uURqDDHTvCLzWr8qCoxN6aRgqgJOh-uyAC4PVxv1SGxhANDVHiJBbfmgEnXC3_IJFw/s400/6+back+plate+close+up.jpg" /></a>
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And now I had a new purpose in life. I was also out of latex, so it was time to get more. I made my way to the Motion Picture FX Company up in the valley. They have a really great store! If you're ever in the area, be sure to check them out.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMY4wzJhXVbT-xeOT5tmvjFIXkhWrIyqDQjld9dcrwh7uZJLFo7pTdOi0Ac2qwvat_SSFKgupCTEH6HV5KKLpTVSP2cWmhJskNVS4GsNxxVM-FWm8vDsIqhZwF3ARaruVrhLH5SOcEbA/s1600/7+MPFX.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMY4wzJhXVbT-xeOT5tmvjFIXkhWrIyqDQjld9dcrwh7uZJLFo7pTdOi0Ac2qwvat_SSFKgupCTEH6HV5KKLpTVSP2cWmhJskNVS4GsNxxVM-FWm8vDsIqhZwF3ARaruVrhLH5SOcEbA/s400/7+MPFX.jpg" /></a>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2LSKzT3-w7w90eHiV1mzLRsCl6yGMt8Zwd9sGv_rK3Za9AHrI-jfdWbVFBWQGgYoWNE8-s6pLAgxxfWXoEfHgfpfrs-is8MamEl2iq7eQTDSWP-FHVUE0oHORumY8CKxJnaDwcoAuzLw/s1600/8+MPFX.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2LSKzT3-w7w90eHiV1mzLRsCl6yGMt8Zwd9sGv_rK3Za9AHrI-jfdWbVFBWQGgYoWNE8-s6pLAgxxfWXoEfHgfpfrs-is8MamEl2iq7eQTDSWP-FHVUE0oHORumY8CKxJnaDwcoAuzLw/s400/8+MPFX.jpg" /></a>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjavE3ovOYryI_iDUG7WIqSXf8qArgWIJ5oZCz4CRZUo8sGA6yQDCoIY-2FU3mAxVulaMlyv2FBjMDK7_vhTXlKBDMVR5AKUaZ2eL2LGR7cxhyphenhyphentGssKtgE7m3Hdp7OEjMbgMiPeH0t3Y/s1600/9+MPFX.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjavE3ovOYryI_iDUG7WIqSXf8qArgWIJ5oZCz4CRZUo8sGA6yQDCoIY-2FU3mAxVulaMlyv2FBjMDK7_vhTXlKBDMVR5AKUaZ2eL2LGR7cxhyphenhyphentGssKtgE7m3Hdp7OEjMbgMiPeH0t3Y/s400/9+MPFX.jpg" /></a>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mNnKn2Z2X0fBD4hyF9rFWWjxd79dW2JG4w0-I6sDYioaMbzyZyDwEaUDjoyXkz8VorAQZZwMZYbbo9yeQJpjAvioTsKlw-NOLcQoaH1466U87gEeksCYvMo6brSwXz-nd6v-QSI9d3E/s1600/10+MPFX.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mNnKn2Z2X0fBD4hyF9rFWWjxd79dW2JG4w0-I6sDYioaMbzyZyDwEaUDjoyXkz8VorAQZZwMZYbbo9yeQJpjAvioTsKlw-NOLcQoaH1466U87gEeksCYvMo6brSwXz-nd6v-QSI9d3E/s400/10+MPFX.jpg" /></a>
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While I was there, I picked up some more urethane pigments that I'm going to experiment. I'm certain you'll be able to find the results on this blog eventually.
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Meanwhile, back at the shop, I started to do some experimentation with attaching fabric to the cape. Sadly, it didn't go too well, but it gave me an excuse and an opportunity to experiment with different techniques and materials.
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Here you can see the two different fabrics that DIDN'T go down too well, along with a few scraps that I was using to test different spray adhesives.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvVmUUK7QpA_NT8nVgcUi_XGE-2Ivqy4Z7KTRV9Jyr14gDwEKPEVWFemt5GP8P7lqrkntTeiqrDbFlTCQP3ePkCkMzX43Ft_RcoD_nP0yViPZYHqijfux80liJLlSLWEZy1qLgIzNvzA/s1600/11+larger+cape+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvVmUUK7QpA_NT8nVgcUi_XGE-2Ivqy4Z7KTRV9Jyr14gDwEKPEVWFemt5GP8P7lqrkntTeiqrDbFlTCQP3ePkCkMzX43Ft_RcoD_nP0yViPZYHqijfux80liJLlSLWEZy1qLgIzNvzA/s400/11+larger+cape+mold.jpg" /></a>
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After this round of tests, I have completely abandoned the spray adhesive approach. Though it could be made to work, it is highly error prone. Long story short, if you get a little drop of spray onto the cape, it ruins the latex. And it's impossible to not get drops. So that's out.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8DXFhTM_DKutBOm_ykc6W9s2KBdaycoTBTAgIJN0QXo7Wc4oRGRgobGcdGvfihl5qCckaxCQ3dXPSXjX3pQU27aNTn0-QafPBP4o7gtpQ0PyJKJEDP9TA1Kj-G5fSdX5HCWjNAznRug/s1600/12+spray+adhesive+tests.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8DXFhTM_DKutBOm_ykc6W9s2KBdaycoTBTAgIJN0QXo7Wc4oRGRgobGcdGvfihl5qCckaxCQ3dXPSXjX3pQU27aNTn0-QafPBP4o7gtpQ0PyJKJEDP9TA1Kj-G5fSdX5HCWjNAznRug/s400/12+spray+adhesive+tests.jpg" /></a>
<P>
I also did another pour up of the chest emblem. I was once again experimenting with pigments, and also with a different shore hardness. This time I used PMC-770, which ultimately proved to be to soft. I definitely think PMC-780 is the right material to use on the chest emblem and the belt.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvD30ASYMI4VY2ItTmXrvyG-jBRjakTXRNEFatLNTjiV_AdroBkwNuRTSBt5FTcZaQ-AjBfu3ZJlJQbtX54rnk411qcKr-EWG_1UVv8OP0j2UoxzxnKiMTpJwMQetpI_QhnveRZtiRoM/s1600/13+new+chest+emblem.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvD30ASYMI4VY2ItTmXrvyG-jBRjakTXRNEFatLNTjiV_AdroBkwNuRTSBt5FTcZaQ-AjBfu3ZJlJQbtX54rnk411qcKr-EWG_1UVv8OP0j2UoxzxnKiMTpJwMQetpI_QhnveRZtiRoM/s400/13+new+chest+emblem.jpg" /></a>
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The last topic for this post is regarding pigment for the latex. You may recall from my last blog post that I was revisiting some paint I acquired while in Ohio a few years ago. Montpelier Velvet Red. I walked to Home Depot only to learn that they cannot match the paint, which meant it was off to Lowes. A super friendly dude in the paint department was able to grant my wishes, which was for not only a pint of the red, but also a pint of JUST the pigments that they use to turn the white Valspar primer into the Velvet Red. Thank you, anonymous stranger at Lowes. You are the man.
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I took the paints back to the workshop and mixed up a little batch, just taking a guess at the percentages of paint to pigment to latex. I did a tiny layup in a mold and OH MY GOD the color is beautiful!!!!!! I do believe I have solved the problem of getting the color I want for the cape's outer shell, and I am extremely happy. I have to give a quick shout out to David at UD Replicas, who originally provided me with the idea of mixing latex paints directly into the latex rubber. It took a while to get it right, and a bit of ingenuity of my own, but I really think I've finally got that part locked down.
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So yes, it's bean a very productive week, with a lot of great breakthroughs. The main problem I have right now is that I don't have a fool proof method for attaching a giant sheet of fabric to the back of the outer shell of the cape. I'm trying to come up with some kind of rig that will help me do it, and I have a few ideas. I think one of the next things on my plate is dying the cape fabric with the correct ombre that I'm looking for. More on that soon.
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As always, thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoy witnessing my progress as much as I do making it.
MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-48733133074114232802015-08-15T05:35:00.001-07:002015-08-15T05:35:28.177-07:00Superman Returns Costume - Belt and CapeAs always, work on the Superman Returns costume continues, though as of late, at a brisk pace.
<P>
Recently I sat down with my trusty Dremel tool with a sanding drum attachment and cleaned up the two belts I had cast up the other week. (Also, for reference, "Casted" is not a real word. Don't use that word when talking about molding and casting things. It makes you sound like an idiot. Just saying.)
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I cleaned up the flash from behind the "S" symbol, and also along the edges. These turned out great.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyG72j7AIkOgaU_3Hc_hXsyNbo-nqH5lS8bnB0YaweJpzF-u6JIBhtLYSRPWI2lZmP0E5uNyx0s_6nnNWuCCsDzzlkUXTB8RvyXmH1iB38Iv_OMl-xhAJWzJGcDgOFzNKnbpGQGOkNl-o/s1600/belts+trimmed.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyG72j7AIkOgaU_3Hc_hXsyNbo-nqH5lS8bnB0YaweJpzF-u6JIBhtLYSRPWI2lZmP0E5uNyx0s_6nnNWuCCsDzzlkUXTB8RvyXmH1iB38Iv_OMl-xhAJWzJGcDgOFzNKnbpGQGOkNl-o/s400/belts+trimmed.jpg" /></a>
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On the screen used belts, there would be a little segment of fabric behind the buckle, and behind that a piece of velcro. The fabric is the same stuff that the briefs were made of. Yay costume trivia!
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I am once again back on the experimentation train with the cape. I keep coming up with new ideas that I want to try, based on old ideas that I had previously messed around with. The other thing on my mind right now is the ultimate fragility of the silicone mold I made of the cape. That cape mold is about seven years old right now, and frankly, silicone doesn't last forever. The last pour I did of urethane ended up doing a TINY bit of damage to the mold, as mentioned in a previous post. It happened when I was doing some color tests, and the damage was done to the edge of the mold, where there wasn't even a diamond pattern. But the fact is, the mold is getting old and I fear that my next coat of urethane on it could end up doing some damage.
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What I'm in the process of doing now, in conjunction with some color and process experimentation, is doing a preservation pull of the cape. I want to get a top quality pull out of the mold, so that if for some reason it dies, I have a copy of it available for making another mold. I know this may sound like overkill, but honestly if that mold gives out in the middle of a pull now, the project is pretty much cancelled.
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Here's where the mold stands as of the last round of applications.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijAp5uytuHrBu3siMda257J2FZlI7pPjNBp9JrSS0OZDSUIdWD01l0nh7_EZu05kc2STj1wmIYQW1POKZtDV5gY8ieNd8i_kwMYn8h73SHY8Dzg3Jm-i3DDZfZnyqBHDc9JMfM1ej3ikI/s1600/cape+mold+on+floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijAp5uytuHrBu3siMda257J2FZlI7pPjNBp9JrSS0OZDSUIdWD01l0nh7_EZu05kc2STj1wmIYQW1POKZtDV5gY8ieNd8i_kwMYn8h73SHY8Dzg3Jm-i3DDZfZnyqBHDc9JMfM1ej3ikI/s400/cape+mold+on+floor.jpg" /></a>
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I really should have reviewed some older blog posts before taking on this task, as I had to re-learn my process for applying the latex to the mold. It's not as easy as you might think, and there is some mystery to the technique necessary to get a good surface out of this. Though the color in this photo is not at all representative of the actual color, you get the general idea. This is three coats of latex.
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For reference, this is the color I am using. If you took this color and painted it on a white wall, it would be exactly the color I want my cape outer shell to be. However, when this paint is mixed with the latex that I am using, the stuff from Motion Picture FX Company, it lightens it up a little. Heck for all I know the only reason it appears lighter is because it's still pretty thin. Maybe I just need to add more paint to the latex.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5t4JnxGv00Z2NFMaejeX_GKhZVxubPbG9Vrcfa19RvgQQy14vBCFW-FJUFM0BGuNXS7pMWtZ4pJGqgEgUYI2dhH2NETjayNIZqZ8Y7GHZ3KQn23TWIHuc6-A6DOhxhl9C7wUDG1wQ9zI/s1600/color+of+paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5t4JnxGv00Z2NFMaejeX_GKhZVxubPbG9Vrcfa19RvgQQy14vBCFW-FJUFM0BGuNXS7pMWtZ4pJGqgEgUYI2dhH2NETjayNIZqZ8Y7GHZ3KQn23TWIHuc6-A6DOhxhl9C7wUDG1wQ9zI/s400/color+of+paint.jpg" /></a>
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At this point, it's still just an assumption that this process of mixing off the shelf paint with latex rubber is even going to work. It might not. The paint may very well not bond properly with the latex rubber. Who knows. Hence the experiment.
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Kind of funny that this is paint I purchased when I was living in Ohio. Sheesh, that was like four years ago. What a wreck.
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Here's the stuff.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxt1nCpshyphenhyphenP8rMvO4mlkOHTBL8JJNUjubYEl6tXVowtU1hVTvcPEbnV9ud3PTpg7rrmvor2v0xxRxQRosKxsDJPQ4KuN13AmwL9cD_12PscShs9tr1A4yfMAI6gVo4gleg7rlGfLdmozE/s1600/type+of+paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxt1nCpshyphenhyphenP8rMvO4mlkOHTBL8JJNUjubYEl6tXVowtU1hVTvcPEbnV9ud3PTpg7rrmvor2v0xxRxQRosKxsDJPQ4KuN13AmwL9cD_12PscShs9tr1A4yfMAI6gVo4gleg7rlGfLdmozE/s400/type+of+paint.jpg" /></a>
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I think the plan is to mix up one more serving of this latex, apply it to the cape, and then apply a fabric backing to it. Honestly, I don't even think this will be a usable cape, as the first layer of latex was a real mess, due to me forgetting my application technique. But as with every time I do anything on this project, it's a learning experience.
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I don't remember if I posted this before, but it seems relevant given that my post began with the belt. Check it out and let me know what you think!
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<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hKPuL1CQFb0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-47465632121489999152015-08-09T22:08:00.000-07:002015-08-09T22:08:26.099-07:00Superman Returns Costume - R&D UpdateI've discovered that it's important to start a blog post out with an attention grabbing photo, as that is the one that will be displayed if this post is linked to a social media site or something, so I will begin with this picture:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCwfJ_RlocFxNM67gnLCTpda8y5quFrG9I6-JaEBWmrYLJNCqcgLkAk7_h50WPIRGlGi3NhjTrQcyb-teFXepClczP0GF1stxlwR_oYOUyjfFyxScX8ax3V9I56toMFaD8TNYrmrvouk/s1600/10+emblem+reveal.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCwfJ_RlocFxNM67gnLCTpda8y5quFrG9I6-JaEBWmrYLJNCqcgLkAk7_h50WPIRGlGi3NhjTrQcyb-teFXepClczP0GF1stxlwR_oYOUyjfFyxScX8ax3V9I56toMFaD8TNYrmrvouk/s400/10+emblem+reveal.jpg" /></a>
<P>
What you are looking at of course is the chest emblem and belt from the Superman Returns costume, in this case these are straight out of the molds. Off to the right is a piece of cape fabric. It's like all the magic is happening in one place!
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Let's dig into the meat and bones of this post, which is an update on some R&D work I've done lately on the cape.
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For reference, this is the new product I got from Sil-Pak that I am experimenting with. It's called RU-420.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jN6Syz_zLhIs0S6JiNYw7UxRYUvL1GokwVLJYZ5oWnGONhdodbnUv7kNhg0U4_Um-_Lc66LaAZ3xoycXTAyVrhPmsXUsxmWmKF3oJvpMr-fJ_0AVLH9O_0rfG2sCxh7unC1yjCNy9wE/s1600/7+new+silpak+stuff.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jN6Syz_zLhIs0S6JiNYw7UxRYUvL1GokwVLJYZ5oWnGONhdodbnUv7kNhg0U4_Um-_Lc66LaAZ3xoycXTAyVrhPmsXUsxmWmKF3oJvpMr-fJ_0AVLH9O_0rfG2sCxh7unC1yjCNy9wE/s400/7+new+silpak+stuff.jpg" /></a>
<P>
It's VERY soft, with a 20 shore hardness BUT it's an opaque, light amber color, which is very interesting to me.
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No surprisingly, when I mix Sil-Pak pigments with it, I get very predictable and nice results.
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To demonstrate to you, dear reader, how well the pigments work with it, allow me to wow you with this photo. What you are looking at is a test pour I did of RU-420 into a scrap mold, surrounded by all of the pigment tests that I did a few days earlier, using VytaFlex40. Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure much of the problem is me, but what this picture clearly reveals is that I was able to mix together a very respectable red using the RU-420 as a base, whereas I was unable to achieve good results using VytaFlex. Take away from that whatever you will.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCc6i0JKyrQaJG-n5JEQDVoBtEIBfIwMooSDI2UfYh3YSEOj0L8j_aJAPBNi94tk8TQTKnCYTvD4RN4zylKs3OS25Vn0xrcm_FXMTO-qsI25hd8IX40lT2lCPHg7JdxTml0IgXwk9vcyQ/s1600/2+test+red+comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCc6i0JKyrQaJG-n5JEQDVoBtEIBfIwMooSDI2UfYh3YSEOj0L8j_aJAPBNi94tk8TQTKnCYTvD4RN4zylKs3OS25Vn0xrcm_FXMTO-qsI25hd8IX40lT2lCPHg7JdxTml0IgXwk9vcyQ/s400/2+test+red+comparison.jpg" /></a>
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As I don't really have a mental guage of how shore duromteres evaluate to real world hardness, I thought it was a good time to do a test pour of the new stuff into the Superman Returns chest emblem. With the color looking as good as it did, I thought it might make for a nice new display piece, along with teaching me what 20 shore hardness feels like.
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I had a bit extra in the pour, and that's what is sitting all over the top of the mold.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26LhrCPP9VbjQIXgO-3VYnnWA5I618sT1ftEqDPWN_Q4v3NSHzRUu0Parp_UMTbS3m0NvP5-7tcRPdbVL2_d5jGs7HC9gX4WnuJcCXptUp12SrASBl3UuYZOcn8ifJvEpiWNXV3UnAC4/s1600/3+chest+emblem+filled.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26LhrCPP9VbjQIXgO-3VYnnWA5I618sT1ftEqDPWN_Q4v3NSHzRUu0Parp_UMTbS3m0NvP5-7tcRPdbVL2_d5jGs7HC9gX4WnuJcCXptUp12SrASBl3UuYZOcn8ifJvEpiWNXV3UnAC4/s400/3+chest+emblem+filled.jpg" /></a>
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In a separate brain storm that led to a test, I wanted to try my hand at getting a solid color match across multiple pours of urethane. The secret, of course, is to mix up one batch of Part A with pigment, and then split that into two parts when mixing it with part B. So lets say your mold requires 200 grams of urethane. And your urethane mixes at a 1:1 by weight ratio. You would pour up 100 grams of part A, and then pigment that to your desired color. THEN pour 50g of that into a cup, and mix it with 50g of part B. Then pour that into the mold. Once that has cured, mix up the remaining 50g of part A with another 50g of part B, THEN pour that into the mold.
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Here is my mold for the belt, half filled with pigmented PMC-780 Dry.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDe2cCqm199F1zbzAOYRGl5Nv863vAt_t_hpG40ffHZXCzMz2pAylZC_DJ8A9ONDWouzeMBMSHCqBBbdTjGWv97IGhtFeSOA2tC_7l04w7tuSMGGai6u4WdWDWHSfkgPDMeeLN5TPuFU/s1600/4+belt+mold+half+filled.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDe2cCqm199F1zbzAOYRGl5Nv863vAt_t_hpG40ffHZXCzMz2pAylZC_DJ8A9ONDWouzeMBMSHCqBBbdTjGWv97IGhtFeSOA2tC_7l04w7tuSMGGai6u4WdWDWHSfkgPDMeeLN5TPuFU/s400/4+belt+mold+half+filled.jpg" /></a>
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And here's the mixing cup, still loaded with a bit of pigmented part A.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-0Ye835tn9no4TMQdCN1dZbEfMaHYS7zKRTsBSEs9zvX3UOUtObpfwmZ3bNj5ULgp2vaZL70fFh3jM8UG0eVGZwsweV3Go0YV1QWuueV082n9ypuyRJUNvmzsBiYD_Yf6JI5ZTHY7pk/s1600/5+cup+of+yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-0Ye835tn9no4TMQdCN1dZbEfMaHYS7zKRTsBSEs9zvX3UOUtObpfwmZ3bNj5ULgp2vaZL70fFh3jM8UG0eVGZwsweV3Go0YV1QWuueV082n9ypuyRJUNvmzsBiYD_Yf6JI5ZTHY7pk/s400/5+cup+of+yellow.jpg" /></a>
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Now what the loyal reader SHOULD be asking themselves is this: why would you want to do multiple pours of urethane into a belt mold. Why not just do it all at once?
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The answer in this instance is two-fold. First, I want to embed in this casting some yellow belt webbing that will be used to close the belt up at the back. Once the first pour cures, I lay the webbing in place, and then pour the next layer on top of it. That way, the webbing is totally encased in urethane. Because the two pours of urethane are going to bond with each other VERY strongly, the webbing will therefore be suspended in the middle of. You may be asking yourself, why not just dip the webbing into the urethane as it pours, and just do it all at once? The answer is that you cannot guarantee the positioning of the webbing in that scenario. I've done that method before, and sometimes the webbing sinks to the bottom of the mold, and ends up being visible in the pull once you de-mold. So by pouring in a layer first, you guarantee that your belt will be pretty from the front, and that the webbing will not be visible. This is also much stronger than say gluing the webbing to the back of the belt.
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The second reason for doing this is really just as a test. I wanted to see how the colors would turn out, how the bond would be, etc. When I finally get around to doing a cape layup, I doubt I will be able to do it all in one pour, so by testing this I am able to see if I will be able to do the cape in multiple pours. Which I now believe I will be.
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Which brings me nicely to this next picture, in which you can see the belt with the webbing embedded in it.
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Nice, Right??
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKDeDzAScqPScZrk16TuzzUzgX4iYAE0OVezUp1pzYp8x4D7-LU0XMezBx3fT6MCgS7nBGjbe6Igg8UtZ22MkxHEVHG_74479nYjioJudTaaTkzk_flA5nnd_QylgIbvP8UXcO91bqGU/s1600/9+belt+and+emblem.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKDeDzAScqPScZrk16TuzzUzgX4iYAE0OVezUp1pzYp8x4D7-LU0XMezBx3fT6MCgS7nBGjbe6Igg8UtZ22MkxHEVHG_74479nYjioJudTaaTkzk_flA5nnd_QylgIbvP8UXcO91bqGU/s400/9+belt+and+emblem.jpg" /></a>
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On the right in the above picture is the back side of the chest emblem mold. There are two molds necessary to build a chest emblem. One is for the yellow back plate, and another is for the main "S". What you are looking at is a pull of the back plate sitting on top of the back side of the "S" plate.
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Which brings us full circle, and back to the picture that I started this blog post with.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHE60FFnQ9vd6GP3_AXHO8Ggban6AlkUa-_m42ciy4sIH6RAETuqC5z5sh7zxM2zTBZFroIZm8TtDaJ_ZNz6j7Y0qhs87-WAXbM21CiZkf__q1pRY72dz1tSkRhjGhFr7nTU5AS7T6mg/s1600/10+emblem+reveal.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHE60FFnQ9vd6GP3_AXHO8Ggban6AlkUa-_m42ciy4sIH6RAETuqC5z5sh7zxM2zTBZFroIZm8TtDaJ_ZNz6j7Y0qhs87-WAXbM21CiZkf__q1pRY72dz1tSkRhjGhFr7nTU5AS7T6mg/s400/10+emblem+reveal.jpg" /></a>
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The big take-away here is that 20 durometer urethane is WAY too soft fo the chest emblem. It's extremely soft and delicate, and kind of barely holds it's shape. While this test was extremely valuable in terms of coloring, it did not produce a useable chest emblem.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NvZCzL1zZwoB1KIsVBlqh2wCDa2xwzXoTTe4YzAMV5JbFYucgPyGPUgbUerx_5K4r0i2KVMRwaSb9P7IlYd1I_XurTYDT16ffurJLiOPRlKVkjVyL6QZUvQXjfkAFVI7y4hL0e7gQEI/s1600/11+second+belt.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NvZCzL1zZwoB1KIsVBlqh2wCDa2xwzXoTTe4YzAMV5JbFYucgPyGPUgbUerx_5K4r0i2KVMRwaSb9P7IlYd1I_XurTYDT16ffurJLiOPRlKVkjVyL6QZUvQXjfkAFVI7y4hL0e7gQEI/s400/11+second+belt.jpg" /></a>
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This is a closeup of the SECOND belt I poured. Why did I pour a second one? Because in my rush to do the multi-pour pigment test, I forgot to powder the mold. As a result, I had a few little air bubbles in the thing. And for those of you who are familiar with my work, I don't do air bubbles.
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It also gave me an opportunity to perfect my pigment mixture for the belt.
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The belt on the top is my second pour. You can see the difference between the two. The first one took on a bit of an avocado tint, which is not cool.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2rDp4HkmxCxUFKAAaugFleXesd9n3SNJRQNLguUsh3UE29P6f6D20dyPZ-FkpemBgsDUotHRTkMH8V0emwt7bqCwG183SS3fEC4O6zzTAf-mkBOCIlP042YiyuVj_9AsI8msIiE93x8/s1600/13+two+belts.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2rDp4HkmxCxUFKAAaugFleXesd9n3SNJRQNLguUsh3UE29P6f6D20dyPZ-FkpemBgsDUotHRTkMH8V0emwt7bqCwG183SS3fEC4O6zzTAf-mkBOCIlP042YiyuVj_9AsI8msIiE93x8/s400/13+two+belts.jpg" /></a>
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With those test behind me, and me hot on the trail of some new discoveries, I did a text mix of PMC-720 and tried mixing up a good, deep red using the new assortment of pigments I had purchased from Sil-Pak just the other day.
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To skip to the punchline, the red I got was AMAZING!!! EVEN BETTER than the red I achieved with RU-420, which I was already completely pleased with. If you look at the picture below, you can see where I poured this new red mixture on top of the mold so that I could see the difference between my new red and the one I had mixed previously.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNV8xEzPM25uiywq-Ee0EeYMXiQmnXIWJGh6cfy9M8l2OKKeq2W-4wRXmf6cIDuywRbWMT04Z2kMpRFybS98YB0iW-KcitDdqFL41O_FZqVYgNI-sn4T-X13SglBBv6BVsFseMIrPX8E/s1600/6+new+test+red.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNV8xEzPM25uiywq-Ee0EeYMXiQmnXIWJGh6cfy9M8l2OKKeq2W-4wRXmf6cIDuywRbWMT04Z2kMpRFybS98YB0iW-KcitDdqFL41O_FZqVYgNI-sn4T-X13SglBBv6BVsFseMIrPX8E/s400/6+new+test+red.jpg" /></a>
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The reason this is important is because it re-invigorates my interests in the PMC line of urethanes for the cape. While I originally dismissed PMC780 as a choice for the cape based on the fact that it cures to a translucent dark amber AND I was unable to mix a satisfactory shade of red AND I was unable to brush it into the mold, my recent discoveries of mixing in cabosil/Thixo-HP and the new batch of pigments I've acquired from Sil-Pak have me revisiting this material. In fact, I dare say that as of this moment, I think one of the PMC urethanes will ultimately prove to be the one I use for the cape shell.
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For reference, this is the latex that I use on my cape mold, WHEN I'm doing latex tests.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnatRLysL7gGxCwBnvgJ9_wv7A70NOv-t_I5JhAbvNH_7z64b_y6cRbbF4zngzEJ11XacpJCykr1LKP0sdmwxQqVgYPS715dOjI3vo9vug9Z34X5KgaDDeu2BZ3ORN1_W11UGbilPz5M/s1600/8+latex.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnatRLysL7gGxCwBnvgJ9_wv7A70NOv-t_I5JhAbvNH_7z64b_y6cRbbF4zngzEJ11XacpJCykr1LKP0sdmwxQqVgYPS715dOjI3vo9vug9Z34X5KgaDDeu2BZ3ORN1_W11UGbilPz5M/s400/8+latex.jpg" /></a>
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Let us now turn our attention back to the cape, where more experimentation has taken place.
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Sadly, I ran out of Douglas and Sturgess "Thixo HP", which is the cabosil replacement I have been using for a while now. Really fantastic stuff. I turned to a batch of stuff I got from Smooth-On, and I'm sad to say it just wasn't the same. It didn't mix in half as well as the Thixo HP, and there were clumps. Not fatal, but I am definitely going to back to Thixo HP right away. I ordered a bunch more from the D&S website just the other day. If you're curious, give them a visit.
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<a href="http://www.artstuf.com/">http://www.artstuf.com/</a>
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Sadly, their URL and website are from 1998, but hey what they lack in internet pizazz, they make up for with great products and really knowledgeable folks!!!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wQNgWfBFIjMzaVBfc5Y1tKg_ErvIcpOkL2wN8ALCZuPxypY3qqqTBQll0MJwxkex_b6M5tQGWIHGmR-VgRD9N7l_QazCBNWZhZXbti8d2SnI9DGMWiGJZgUqJXiyJIZLkOcowlRcRsU/s1600/13+thixo.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wQNgWfBFIjMzaVBfc5Y1tKg_ErvIcpOkL2wN8ALCZuPxypY3qqqTBQll0MJwxkex_b6M5tQGWIHGmR-VgRD9N7l_QazCBNWZhZXbti8d2SnI9DGMWiGJZgUqJXiyJIZLkOcowlRcRsU/s400/13+thixo.jpg" /></a>
<P>
It was time to experiment with the RU-420 on the cape. I mixed up a small batch and threw in some of the Smooth-On thixo, and decided to mix it up with a little blue this time instead of red. Aside from the clumpiness I mentioned earlier, and the fact that the mix ratio is different than the Thixo HP, I think the first tests went fairly well. Here's the first attack:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR-IpspMdZqBa9DdkALMO9Kg0NW4nvzI10yjsr6ug1zE5KBsv3LJ-C6YebboWvloGnfj1zU7IOJqcTz2NGTLNphPwQrNAtY-91ADZmtgdScOYptkMHrLeNStVA6rgv5keBfl4oAVj5bY/s1600/14+blu+stuff+brushed+into+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWR-IpspMdZqBa9DdkALMO9Kg0NW4nvzI10yjsr6ug1zE5KBsv3LJ-C6YebboWvloGnfj1zU7IOJqcTz2NGTLNphPwQrNAtY-91ADZmtgdScOYptkMHrLeNStVA6rgv5keBfl4oAVj5bY/s400/14+blu+stuff+brushed+into+mold.jpg" /></a>
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As you can see from the close up, the first layer is not totally opaque, which is to be expected. You can see the edge of the differently colored mold through the layer of blue urethane.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivSjmOjJLz7wTo5gM1fGkmOtioOPi9s1l9cn6Dfq6KygvmrehorO1-SrYJWfc-oU25rztACG5e2VOMy29iHNTvX_zvxLK6oxl613XCvjKhVRwRNDf4mM51CBA-Pc15eknG_HnfD3RTWA/s1600/14+close+up+of+blue+stuff.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivSjmOjJLz7wTo5gM1fGkmOtioOPi9s1l9cn6Dfq6KygvmrehorO1-SrYJWfc-oU25rztACG5e2VOMy29iHNTvX_zvxLK6oxl613XCvjKhVRwRNDf4mM51CBA-Pc15eknG_HnfD3RTWA/s400/14+close+up+of+blue+stuff.jpg" /></a>
<P>
And that's where we leave things for this update on the Superman Returns suit. Lots of stuff learned, and I cranked out a chest emblem and a couple belts. All good.
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In other news, my Man of Steel suit from UD Replicas is here. It's absolutely stunning, by the way. Please check out UD Replicas and my good pal David at their website:
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<a href="http://www.udreplicas.com/">http://www.udreplicas.com/</a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtefJx8ipD0kze8RRDSMRV4BUuX14U5ito26EQ8da9wp6YdykB6Zi2hID4_zCHCvTURo78LYrz9KVLQI71JirYoAzOFE9As_zrbAENyjzsEp4VxhQTFcPN9KyiwlP7wlzWqJ2xF4XdqM/s1600/15+UD+Replicas+Suit.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtefJx8ipD0kze8RRDSMRV4BUuX14U5ito26EQ8da9wp6YdykB6Zi2hID4_zCHCvTURo78LYrz9KVLQI71JirYoAzOFE9As_zrbAENyjzsEp4VxhQTFcPN9KyiwlP7wlzWqJ2xF4XdqM/s400/15+UD+Replicas+Suit.jpg" /></a>
<P>
Also in the pipeline now are a couple of pieces from the new Supergirl TV show. I very much like the new costume, and I'm working on the chest emblem right now. I have artwork all drawn up, and am sending it off to the laser cutter shortly. Once I have the laser cut pieces, those will be molded and urethane pieces will be produced.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcAUEVy96pAU_44M2BvGZvCV3TpsWlMmAd4DH8HZlLPMvsBuPEeY8MjyGdJDsj9xmnkvCNBn0YhpYflmyQqyj4ab1B_hBfmcUvwUMengzr9HEXbZATT0DIqHmtUikIFoZEiP8mXgIuKY/s1600/16+supergirl+emblem.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcAUEVy96pAU_44M2BvGZvCV3TpsWlMmAd4DH8HZlLPMvsBuPEeY8MjyGdJDsj9xmnkvCNBn0YhpYflmyQqyj4ab1B_hBfmcUvwUMengzr9HEXbZATT0DIqHmtUikIFoZEiP8mXgIuKY/s400/16+supergirl+emblem.jpg" /></a>
<P>
That wraps it up for this update. That's what's going on at the workshop right now! I expect this next week to be a very busy and productive one, and hope to have more cool stuff to show off. I really want to get a cape out of the mold soon!
MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-61934515874872986742015-08-07T00:14:00.000-07:002015-08-07T00:26:12.259-07:00Superman Returns Costume - The Project That Simply Will Not Die.Regular readers of my blog will know that the Superman Returns costume build has been the longest running project here. I started it in maybe 2007. Much of the delays are caused by me becoming frustrated. There are MANY technical challenges to getting this suit finished. Many.
<P>
The thing that keeps getting in my way is the cape. As a quick review, the cape is made up mainly of two parts. There is an outer shell, which is made out of some kind of flexible, rubber like fabric. It's made up of tons of tiny micro diamonds, or pyramids. Attached to that is a big piece of fabric. To keep things interesting, the fabric is ombre dyed, taking it from a bright crimson red at the bottom, to a deep red/brown near the top. There's really nothing simple about this cape. And somehow, the two separate layers are miraculously held together.
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The good news is that I have a mold taken from a screen used cape, so the micro diamond pattern is on lock down.
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From there on out, the challenges begin to pile up.
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By my estimations, the outer shell must be made of either latex rubber or urethane.
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My search for the right type of latex rubber took me in many directions. I ultimately found a product which dries relatively opaque, and does the service of NOT pulling back from the silicone mold when applied.
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And that is a summary of the two main challenges when reverse engineering the outer shell. The material I'm looking for will be opaque when cured, will not pull away from the silicone, can be pigmented, and will be fairly light weight. Though that may sound like a reasonable list, it turns out it's really difficult to find something that satisfies all of those criteria. TRUST ME. It's not easy. I've spend many, many dollars experimenting with materials trying to get this right. It ulimately came down to a matter of compromise. It did not seem possible to find one product that did all of those things, so I had to chose which one I could live without.
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And that frustrated me, and that kind of made me lose some traction on the project.
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For the longest time, I was dead set on using latex. It's very inexpensive, is easy to work with, and with a little bit of experimentation, I was able to get a color that I was mostly satisfied with. It wasn't a perfect color, but to the untrained eye it would certainly pass.
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BUT then I learned that when the latex I had selected, based on it's properties of opacity and tenacity, fades significantly when exposed to UV radiation for any length of time. Which means it's essentially useless.
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Therefore, I switched my plan of attack to urethane.
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Which also presented it's own series of challenges.
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UNTIL...
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And now we get to the heart of the story, which also serves as a lesson in tenacity. I was at Reynolds Advanced Materials, my local Smooth-On distributor, and was asking questions about different types of urethanes. I'm very familiar with many of them, not so much with others. I was talking to a gent there about their Vyta-Flex line. He informed me that it's like the newer version of their PMC line, which I have been using for years. Seeing as how vytaflex cures to be a near opaque, light amber color, I found this very interesting. PMC cures to be a dark, medium translucency amber, which is OK if I have some really strong pigments that I can use to block it out. Anyhow, I'm talking to the dude, and he mentions in passing that their Brush-On urethanes are the same as Vyta-Flex, but have cabosil mixed into it.
<P>
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
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Brush-On was originally what I had pegged as the urethane to use on the cape, as it's the ONLY one that would lay flat on the silicone when I brush it on. ALL other urethanes I tested would bead up, or pull back from the silicone, rendering them useless. There was nothing I could do, no technique I had found, that would let me use any kind of urethane in the mold other than Brush-On.
<P>
Could it be that the secret differentiator was something as simple as cabosil? For reference, Cabosil is a super light, silica product that is basically a thickener, or thixotropic agent. I've talked about it elsewhere in this blog, but for different applications.
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I picked up some vyta-flex and ran back to the workshop.
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I mixed up a tiny batch, threw in some cabosil, and went to work on the mold. Sure as pooh, it worked!!! I was able to brush on vyta-vlex in VERY thin coats, and it would lay flat on the mold. This was miraculous.
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I pulled out the old mermaid scale mold I used previously as a test bed for this project, and ran a couple dozen tests. Different urethanes, different percentages of cabosil, and finally found a formula that worked. I felt like I was back in business.
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After running a couple of weeks worth of tests, I decided I had what I needed, and it was time to bust out Ye Olde Cape Mold and give it a shot on the real thing.
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The mold has been crated up for a couple of years now, ever since I moved back to CA from Ohio, now that I think about it. As I was clearing out the shop and prepping for the uncrating, I became terrified that the mold had somehow decayed during the time it had been crated. Or that the mold had been resting on some uneven surface for the past 2 years, and had gotten creased or distorted.
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Here's the crate, brought out from behind the previous locations of some supply shelves.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvqG-pL90MWn7M6Otq2rJ2rTu5AZsV6g6I7WGdhuBP287rSn0IiRDkOl8FCNWTSGmvT3XSc8akf931Bih69NichphLVe23ZRkZ7SEXrNOrYv6OIP1HwFzUraSW5JETPedr3xkKC4x4xY/s1600/1+cape+crate.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvqG-pL90MWn7M6Otq2rJ2rTu5AZsV6g6I7WGdhuBP287rSn0IiRDkOl8FCNWTSGmvT3XSc8akf931Bih69NichphLVe23ZRkZ7SEXrNOrYv6OIP1HwFzUraSW5JETPedr3xkKC4x4xY/s400/1+cape+crate.jpg" /></a>
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Fortunately, my foresight paid off. When I boxed up the mold in Ohio, I brushed in a few layers of latex to help protect the silicone. I was also smart enough to lay some butcher paper on top of it to keep the cardboard boxes from dinging it up. Long story short, the mold was completely undamaged by it's long term storage.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfwbo3xNjka4GN6ZMbTRHl1y4SfR6vZXdWr73IWKDK099TBAixUuxAQDUZwN4uQzpcs8iOXb0GloUFVphogcyBVPC16rZRzAUwidp9HuiwaFt_G7cKKyt92bDUsHFOaxK9v-vbsh8BJ8/s1600/2+cape+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfwbo3xNjka4GN6ZMbTRHl1y4SfR6vZXdWr73IWKDK099TBAixUuxAQDUZwN4uQzpcs8iOXb0GloUFVphogcyBVPC16rZRzAUwidp9HuiwaFt_G7cKKyt92bDUsHFOaxK9v-vbsh8BJ8/s400/2+cape+mold.jpg" /></a>
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Earlier I spoke about the micro-diamond pattern on the cape exterior. Here's a closeup of said diamonds.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIjy0_HYfR4CksbYPElywLnrwrYPlTNwkeRM9HMrimEF-Il6OwnLA1CSUPkIHQbqQOLwv-m9vak46Bp696-etqWypjGL-SZWmbrgok_tB0yDqnNh8g4i1nTwCApsaM2jBMa_glEcvOUQ/s1600/3+cape+close+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIjy0_HYfR4CksbYPElywLnrwrYPlTNwkeRM9HMrimEF-Il6OwnLA1CSUPkIHQbqQOLwv-m9vak46Bp696-etqWypjGL-SZWmbrgok_tB0yDqnNh8g4i1nTwCApsaM2jBMa_glEcvOUQ/s400/3+cape+close+up.jpg" /></a>
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With the mold back in action, I got to testing the urethane and cabosil mix on the cape mold. It works EVEN BETTER than it did on the mermaid scale mold. It was going down extremely thin, and after just a couple of coats, it was completely opaque.
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Even better, once I pulled it off the mold, it was extremely light and flexible. I must confess I was completely surprised by how light and soft the hand was on it. Everything is looking really good.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2KE4B7xAi-zsfEpEI6fFyZ091GkAbSiCQcXGVSAeSCLgSd1UbI4u-rsjzJsFKsbuhZ2JvmDaHWGVlODTDp3jTmAf4E6GrIROS4y8QrlPERUSjJaFWxZ0RcTaLj0F0VmWEX_OiIpAfSA/s1600/4+urethane+layup.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2KE4B7xAi-zsfEpEI6fFyZ091GkAbSiCQcXGVSAeSCLgSd1UbI4u-rsjzJsFKsbuhZ2JvmDaHWGVlODTDp3jTmAf4E6GrIROS4y8QrlPERUSjJaFWxZ0RcTaLj0F0VmWEX_OiIpAfSA/s400/4+urethane+layup.jpg" /></a>
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Back at the mermaid scales, I was testing some techniques for getting fabric to stick to the outer layer. I ended up just rolling on another thin layer of urethane and cabosil mixture, and then laying the fabric down on top of that. Worked like a charm.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxgYUfWc18946S8s2Vw60HPYjx_L-4emiUTiXoYc_iNLJmbh6mqW2J9yLvXg5aHkh4cgE8yohd8OEvO0Tz_7BH83G36xHC8ZHqftWaRjwucVa9BoEBdPaIJKIU-Ug9lG6CUZNkP-wBAc/s1600/5+fabric+adhesion+test.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzxgYUfWc18946S8s2Vw60HPYjx_L-4emiUTiXoYc_iNLJmbh6mqW2J9yLvXg5aHkh4cgE8yohd8OEvO0Tz_7BH83G36xHC8ZHqftWaRjwucVa9BoEBdPaIJKIU-Ug9lG6CUZNkP-wBAc/s400/5+fabric+adhesion+test.jpg" /></a>
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The long pole in the tent from here on out is really the color. It's very important to get this right, or as close as I am capable. I set up a series of tests to try to determine the right recipe for pigmentation. I have a number of different pigments from a variety of companies. My hope is that a combination of them will get me the right results.
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I started with a little scoop of sil-paks CU Pigment in each of my test cups. Sil-Pak's stuff is great because it really impregnates the urethane and makes it opaque. It serves as a good base for adding in other pigments.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2lFFyqcQBAlJT5wgU-b1Bfh6xAbRKkB0VFuc8p4xFIs3FsfKej-1K2HoZB765J-W7RUTn3b2_8P9MJwEvZAANnFT3bdA_8TcEjPrb61pMisz3mRcTUgEsWrBPCPASloHxQcZUsb3iKw/s1600/6+test+cups.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2lFFyqcQBAlJT5wgU-b1Bfh6xAbRKkB0VFuc8p4xFIs3FsfKej-1K2HoZB765J-W7RUTn3b2_8P9MJwEvZAANnFT3bdA_8TcEjPrb61pMisz3mRcTUgEsWrBPCPASloHxQcZUsb3iKw/s400/6+test+cups.jpg" /></a>
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From there it was just a matter of mixing in other colors. I added some UVO pigments, some so-strong tints, some douglas and sturgess pigments, and anything else I could get my hands on.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SF-j_7vDHx9F3WqEo54mFL91kdvUIHSIox43M-9mXeabGZJMSJynO5dJP2ATnhjDWnl0-A9lkZdKGSQkPRHj2xLo2Txm30j7Je7rYeNPD_1DZLBJ9eKYrH_g3slRqWjOzBjx4FmUcaA/s1600/7+different+color+mixes.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4SF-j_7vDHx9F3WqEo54mFL91kdvUIHSIox43M-9mXeabGZJMSJynO5dJP2ATnhjDWnl0-A9lkZdKGSQkPRHj2xLo2Txm30j7Je7rYeNPD_1DZLBJ9eKYrH_g3slRqWjOzBjx4FmUcaA/s400/7+different+color+mixes.jpg" /></a>
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Then I just scooped a little bit out and added it to the cape.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJk5t0ERWV4v9xJPIkKuTaD1zbqqEUgysgRT2wKtlP7Yo5GejAwaZsJI7C8ump7ceY56R-90viZEMN1jG5F8-gb_vbXXdFpnAktpvAvaH8lQYE4acQWhXlvGnsKvHBtnm8oRX4EGhHnN4/s1600/8+tests+applied.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJk5t0ERWV4v9xJPIkKuTaD1zbqqEUgysgRT2wKtlP7Yo5GejAwaZsJI7C8ump7ceY56R-90viZEMN1jG5F8-gb_vbXXdFpnAktpvAvaH8lQYE4acQWhXlvGnsKvHBtnm8oRX4EGhHnN4/s400/8+tests+applied.jpg" /></a>
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Sadly, none of the colors really ended up being what I needed, but I learned a lot about how the colors interact when mixed. I think I've also noticed that the colors change non-trivially once the urethane is cured. For example, sometimes a color with a very bold brown tint will turn out to be completely red once cured. This makes mixing the perfect color very difficult, but I feel confident that with another six to eight years of experimentation, I will get there.
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Hah just kidding!
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So yeah, work continues. And honestly, I have to say this has been one of the most fun and fulfilling projects I have ever taken on. I have learned SOOOOOO much from this project, have met some great people, and have gained knowledge of so many new products and vendors.
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One of the most recent things I did was an adhesive test. I was operating under the assumption that there might be an adhesive out there that I could use to join the outer shell to the inner shell. The reason I'm looking for this is because the process of attaching the two via a coat of urethane is problematic. Too thin, and they won't hold. Too thick, and you'll get bleed through. Basically, wet spots. I have already tested and dismissed a number of adhesives, but found a few more that I hadn't tried before. The basic problem is that the adhesive is either too strong and as a result corrodes the urethane, or it's too weak and won't stick at all.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qj6RjV5H6ROcw6TGavdcmzCxheT4_ve9X5vb05rT6jjfgmI0Oy8upAbUpf0EszFZtx6HjY12GpLBb_AG5BS1m8A02U5I05NixrU0DZ_NAHzsM1t1NQYuwwb3nFHP9ZG3gIleRc_l1NM/s1600/adhesive+tests.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qj6RjV5H6ROcw6TGavdcmzCxheT4_ve9X5vb05rT6jjfgmI0Oy8upAbUpf0EszFZtx6HjY12GpLBb_AG5BS1m8A02U5I05NixrU0DZ_NAHzsM1t1NQYuwwb3nFHP9ZG3gIleRc_l1NM/s320/adhesive+tests.jpg" /></a>
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Sadly, all of the candidates on this round of testing fell into one of those categories. As mentioned earlier, I am currently set on using a layer of urethane to join them, but I still hope that a magic adhesive will make itself known.
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Hopefully some more updates will follow soon, and the cape will get closer and closer as the days go by.
MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-48542079054402064322015-07-31T23:53:00.004-07:002015-07-31T23:53:55.879-07:00Harley Davidson Rebuild Is Done!Here's a quick video of the beast being lit up.
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<iframe width="640" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d56SiUW3eYs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-36733960094195091902015-07-23T20:10:00.001-07:002015-08-24T01:11:32.354-07:00Wonder Woman Dawn of Justice Shield - Step By Step BuildGreetings loyal readers!
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I'm going to try something new with this particular project. Instead of dividing up the work across multiple blog posts, I'm going to put everything in this single post, but update it as I progress. So if you want to follow along, bookmark this page and check back regularly.
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This year at San Diego Comic Con, WB/DC had a TON of great costumes on display in their pavilion, from both movies and television. It was actually quite stunning to be able to see so many iconic and awesome costumes up close. Downside is they were all behind plexiglass, which made photography problematic.
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A couple of things that really caught my eye were the Wonder Woman shield and sword. With such amazing reference material available, and my little brain already at work figuring out how I can replicate these, I finally got to work.
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Here's a picture of the shield. If I had to lay odds, I would say that this particular one was not screen used, but is instead part of a "Touring Suit." For all intents and purposes, it's identical to the ones used in the movie, this one just wasn't used in the movie. this is all conjecture, mind you, but it fits with the facts I have available to me.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIC6ou6YBCxdkVb-dE01Ryz3bAJ3yKYMX9rHDLyenT1TTzr4Q2S7XKPDOELrsjhwsPGaNK3UOG_o1yy90UzxVhAAiRl_mJTPjKDA_UPeu6EcAMroeIXJKwRZpeE0AHXsG6VP1o9NJTpl4/s1600/0+reference+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIC6ou6YBCxdkVb-dE01Ryz3bAJ3yKYMX9rHDLyenT1TTzr4Q2S7XKPDOELrsjhwsPGaNK3UOG_o1yy90UzxVhAAiRl_mJTPjKDA_UPeu6EcAMroeIXJKwRZpeE0AHXsG6VP1o9NJTpl4/s400/0+reference+photo.jpg" /></a>
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My initial impression of the shield is that it's not terribly complicated. It has a great paint job on it, and the only thing that really struck me as challenging is the lettering that encircles the thing. The shield has a number of layers on it, which immediately struck me as something I could vac form over a buck, and then just cut it up to replicate the different steps.
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Which means that the first order of business is to fabricate a buck that will be used in vac forming. My approach to building this buck is to create a skeleton out of MDF, fill the voids with foam, then shape it to where it needs to be. Let's begin!
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We start with a blank canvas. Well, more precisely, a couple pieces of 1/4" MDF. Available at Home Depot.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ae74OeI1PfALTrgnl1_ia15EDJvcVIy2sbts6Fiiaz25jFl8XQ0RLIipJNCjqofk4EpxIbsGo4E6Yq0MWx5wV6gejdMtcOFU1-wYCzK8KuA8qijNL1fRVZSfTRG3Z3QATkXnxCvc8dU/s1600/1+mdf+board.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ae74OeI1PfALTrgnl1_ia15EDJvcVIy2sbts6Fiiaz25jFl8XQ0RLIipJNCjqofk4EpxIbsGo4E6Yq0MWx5wV6gejdMtcOFU1-wYCzK8KuA8qijNL1fRVZSfTRG3Z3QATkXnxCvc8dU/s400/1+mdf+board.jpg" /></a>
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I had originally considered the idea of getting the skeleton pieces laser cut, as it would be faster and more precise, but ultimately the logistics and cost proved to outweigh the convenience of simply making it out of MDF. Though I will lose a degree of precision, as regular readers of this blog will know I am constantly struggling to LOSE my crippling inclination towards perfection, and I think chosing MDF is a good step in the right direction. Remember, better to have a finished piece that isn't perfect, than a perfect piece that isn't finished!
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I start by creating a simple jig out of styrene which will allow me to draw a circle. Since I know what the diameter of my shield needs to be, I take half that distance, and poke two holes in styrene at that distance. One hole will be used to nail the styrene to the MDF, and the other will be used for the pen. The hole created by the nail serves the dual function of also providing me with a center point of the circle. That will come in handy later.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIio3-HWTKLcsfyXJEq7cmReLEwM5Vt5TN8p4YJ5ufWT2ivHi7FViWNmBKBZvTpdYKFeF0ah-TqCll6Q0Xe1esziimnWDIWChsi5cWkMRZ2nyRuNOUa0gxUC7tU1IKebPbGBdct80HnU/s1600/2+circle+drawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIio3-HWTKLcsfyXJEq7cmReLEwM5Vt5TN8p4YJ5ufWT2ivHi7FViWNmBKBZvTpdYKFeF0ah-TqCll6Q0Xe1esziimnWDIWChsi5cWkMRZ2nyRuNOUa0gxUC7tU1IKebPbGBdct80HnU/s400/2+circle+drawing.jpg" /></a>
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And here are the results of my high tech circle drawing solution. I'm using a fine point sharpie to mark the MDF. It's more resilient than pencil, but it's also more broad and noticeable than a regular pen.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWos-2Z0PKUqeumve1SgJ6zTfyJ7EzPkQrKMxVHcl7-lobxJy_fWrzpezQ7hw9Ij0cDGumpq5OiB2DciWuQsXx11m4TQFHlwWbFr1E06DAf7wQWhZn0VPgNJwzcAv7ikIq_N93qBcO0nE/s1600/3+circle+drawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWos-2Z0PKUqeumve1SgJ6zTfyJ7EzPkQrKMxVHcl7-lobxJy_fWrzpezQ7hw9Ij0cDGumpq5OiB2DciWuQsXx11m4TQFHlwWbFr1E06DAf7wQWhZn0VPgNJwzcAv7ikIq_N93qBcO0nE/s400/3+circle+drawn.jpg" /></a>
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I used my circular saw to cut the MDF piece in half, just to make it more manageable.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-4J2MnbjIGJmwFA5n6OY8HV1_3nd8WSPTYA4KlOzAfTqU4PsR_izP98LUeJJu13lLbhA8O_TVld5Ih15tNCkQk4JwM4N1kfgVYz_uf5A1cxt3nFf7dlna0_JiKcA4HEZIbUqGX2NfOcQ/s1600/4+cut+down.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-4J2MnbjIGJmwFA5n6OY8HV1_3nd8WSPTYA4KlOzAfTqU4PsR_izP98LUeJJu13lLbhA8O_TVld5Ih15tNCkQk4JwM4N1kfgVYz_uf5A1cxt3nFf7dlna0_JiKcA4HEZIbUqGX2NfOcQ/s400/4+cut+down.jpg" /></a>
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And then I cut it down even further, thus making room for my coping saw to do all of the heavy lifting. I wasn't going for precision here at all, just trying to trim off the fat to make the next step easier.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkUEF4ZzC_7UZJcUklK5ZV3vqU-c5JiiexKrEO7ZTDYxf77mjRPrSVHdQfpde_kmdk_mXgQGQIm0G64fzYnxDxOLfD0qOCHbFm1edAfW-9FxRf-O-90QRK3bfsrUd-61q0Mh1kU606tM/s1600/5+cut+down+further.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkUEF4ZzC_7UZJcUklK5ZV3vqU-c5JiiexKrEO7ZTDYxf77mjRPrSVHdQfpde_kmdk_mXgQGQIm0G64fzYnxDxOLfD0qOCHbFm1edAfW-9FxRf-O-90QRK3bfsrUd-61q0Mh1kU606tM/s400/5+cut+down+further.jpg" /></a>
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If I had a band saw or a jig saw, I would have used it at this step to do the fine trimming on the circle. But I don't. I actually prefer to do this stuff by hand as it allows me greater control, and if I screw up, I can stop quickly and back up. Notice that at this point I was not going for precision. Just trying to get it within an 1/8" or less. Or so.
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In case you didn't know what a coping saw is, that's one sitting on top of the circle I just cut out.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYplBmU_czUMreJ3EV2SSSIWXKaGSHK_F1BU3mGy9JlHdF2jbfB8bPC0equygtAnKqLe6suXvwwUfflltHtSs9xObjxLkE_jW4mbPhflbBOmGIREZO2LVS6QVcUD0O4jMlYM07lM4Doo/s1600/6+coping+saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYplBmU_czUMreJ3EV2SSSIWXKaGSHK_F1BU3mGy9JlHdF2jbfB8bPC0equygtAnKqLe6suXvwwUfflltHtSs9xObjxLkE_jW4mbPhflbBOmGIREZO2LVS6QVcUD0O4jMlYM07lM4Doo/s400/6+coping+saw.jpg" /></a>
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For the very fine tuning of all the shapes I'm cutting out of MDF, my plan is to use my table top disk sander. I can get VERY precise with it. First step is to calibrate the table to make sure it's at a right angle with the disk. I did this using a right angle bracket that I typically use for machining. This one is a little rusty. Remind me to clean it up sometime.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EJh0V77qfUc-jvlu_MJelu6DG6rmUKn6o0mCElvYKroMmUOElv2MZf-UgEJ7W2Jo2g37h5xZCF9esiGsXqFZ4PsggjKfD2CzAXG-E42LmilB3VIKrl2H1h1tlCyTHis8l9iX6xRI2ew/s1600/9+level+grinder.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EJh0V77qfUc-jvlu_MJelu6DG6rmUKn6o0mCElvYKroMmUOElv2MZf-UgEJ7W2Jo2g37h5xZCF9esiGsXqFZ4PsggjKfD2CzAXG-E42LmilB3VIKrl2H1h1tlCyTHis8l9iX6xRI2ew/s400/9+level+grinder.jpg" /></a>
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And here are the final results, after carefully running the edge of the circle through the sander. I am extremely happy with how this turned out. Looks really great. Now granted, I could have had a circle laser cut to precision... but where's the fun in that?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilaSPOgPg4vyWNRvZ4uu7PG3UunBkAkPUDfn-J1_tEWpPTaI9kXhr-UgXODrP22ChB8AVzLCMeA20iw_E9RdY5yp4PDMxGi-NtOdrct6W9GFdCU6u_XHjIm98DAyl1y1F0FMn6QQ6IHNM/s1600/10+perfect+circle.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilaSPOgPg4vyWNRvZ4uu7PG3UunBkAkPUDfn-J1_tEWpPTaI9kXhr-UgXODrP22ChB8AVzLCMeA20iw_E9RdY5yp4PDMxGi-NtOdrct6W9GFdCU6u_XHjIm98DAyl1y1F0FMn6QQ6IHNM/s400/10+perfect+circle.jpg" /></a>
<P>
See how close it is to the pen? Nice!
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-3MIlJHnfAA329M3r4D3dP08OTSlGFAIhTNgVskTBEEbdRpfZnUBuFiCHjnX5KNxfPWMdHwsUMnmLkNl8H-2fLFYmbxzJXPef05yvwVPHl9jf6J4teOUJjnfAKqRZdYKdS1hZODv67Q/s1600/11+perfect+circle+edge.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-3MIlJHnfAA329M3r4D3dP08OTSlGFAIhTNgVskTBEEbdRpfZnUBuFiCHjnX5KNxfPWMdHwsUMnmLkNl8H-2fLFYmbxzJXPef05yvwVPHl9jf6J4teOUJjnfAKqRZdYKdS1hZODv67Q/s400/11+perfect+circle+edge.jpg" /></a>
<P>
Next up is to draw reference lines on the disk. This will help me place the ribs/slats down. I start by using a right angle ruler and just drawing straight through that centerpoint that I created earlier with the nail. Handy, right?
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzNlAeZNtMDPUJVcOzaqTLCU3CFqJZgb52KudxoJp5zza777z3g6NGnCYjgbcx5IV5NoZe8gPk2kZHUMZgFuae8ln3Kg3AsjxQUkYVRnkfmypt_L9thZVD3TAl1rB9JHyZO_-Is_AN0Y/s1600/12+drawing+equator.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzNlAeZNtMDPUJVcOzaqTLCU3CFqJZgb52KudxoJp5zza777z3g6NGnCYjgbcx5IV5NoZe8gPk2kZHUMZgFuae8ln3Kg3AsjxQUkYVRnkfmypt_L9thZVD3TAl1rB9JHyZO_-Is_AN0Y/s400/12+drawing+equator.jpg" /></a>
<P>
Then it's just a matter of using the ruler, a 45 degree square, and a compass to map out the rest of the lines. I'm dividing up the buck similarly to how it's done on the final product. Might be overkill, but the more ribs I have on the skeleton, the more uniform my final shape will be.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0na3AO6EunWxpiUca64lAzF9HeuOe8qPnp54ThTos84R8lPnKO6K5LrfvvkCcV7s44IRFNEVJ2iUbqFhRfGLEcdqnkRp5Vv-6Rmt9iTpVQNChiXcp8yAHTMI4HjTr1GFFFjGJTWPHBHQ/s1600/13+lines+drawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0na3AO6EunWxpiUca64lAzF9HeuOe8qPnp54ThTos84R8lPnKO6K5LrfvvkCcV7s44IRFNEVJ2iUbqFhRfGLEcdqnkRp5Vv-6Rmt9iTpVQNChiXcp8yAHTMI4HjTr1GFFFjGJTWPHBHQ/s400/13+lines+drawn.jpg" /></a>
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXzShZaKzyN7prbVGTVuUyAxDd2jh34T3UeQIZ0YFtAY6Y-D07f-Nnj4H_rVUgMp2vUgQTlS2pwr1ifl5Y2ZZ7ichLJPo3LPaPtY_GJyRaS-h54InKYVCL2u99QJV-nn-7C1rIpnXlYM/s1600/14+all+lines+drawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXzShZaKzyN7prbVGTVuUyAxDd2jh34T3UeQIZ0YFtAY6Y-D07f-Nnj4H_rVUgMp2vUgQTlS2pwr1ifl5Y2ZZ7ichLJPo3LPaPtY_GJyRaS-h54InKYVCL2u99QJV-nn-7C1rIpnXlYM/s400/14+all+lines+drawn.jpg" /></a>
<P>
Now I'm going to start creating the ribs. A couple things are very important here. One is that the bottom edge of each slat be perfectly straight. This will serve to eliminate any warp in the disk, and I can tell you right now there is a little bit. When the MDF stock sits on the shelf at Home Depot for a few months, it tends to warp and bend a little under its own weight. No big deal. I also need to make sure it's the right width. The outer tips of each rib have to precisely touch the outer rim of the circle. Or as close as I can get it.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPoVDzHg0HYXUw4ELJvYKsRDt_wTZB3-aGwYg3CCYqLAwEYaOMhxQXG9V_pVY4fxf7WMYEJtm_Apw9uwgSXMm6Evb_R2NV4KF3jJNkMP_sNkcU7QD-MaS7Z4vl2Z6-SJW1kP5oVPBs1Y8/s1600/15+prepping+first+slat.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPoVDzHg0HYXUw4ELJvYKsRDt_wTZB3-aGwYg3CCYqLAwEYaOMhxQXG9V_pVY4fxf7WMYEJtm_Apw9uwgSXMm6Evb_R2NV4KF3jJNkMP_sNkcU7QD-MaS7Z4vl2Z6-SJW1kP5oVPBs1Y8/s400/15+prepping+first+slat.jpg" /></a>
<P>
The next step is absolutely critical, as it will define the entire shape of the shield. I used a picture of the real shield for reference, and did my best to estimate the shape of the curve. It's a pretty shallow curve, by my estimations. Even if this is off, I'm not too worried about it. If better reference becomes available, I can always just start again. Wah wah.
<P>
What I'm going to do is create a styrene template that represents one half of the curve of the shield. I'm doing only one half so that I can duplicate it across a slat to get the entire shape. This will allow me to ensure that it is symmetrical. Which is also pretty important in a project like this.
<P>
I cut out a rough shape in styrene, and then fine tuned it with a sanding block. Once I was happy with the final shape, I marked off a point on the styrene that was the length of the radius of the disk. Here's what the final template looks like.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit98Pq3CMsefxorenqhp-TXNM_9NoFbOKCI-X7cqtbf4ZKlZl7LfQdgA6VhBYJpUtfy7nu6mSstQe16zA685VO8lZ2a_O8k8zWe5Bc1GExqBGfs7XIkqVZ0NtyV9T_RpjvmSUTpwX5oSY/s1600/16+slat+template.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit98Pq3CMsefxorenqhp-TXNM_9NoFbOKCI-X7cqtbf4ZKlZl7LfQdgA6VhBYJpUtfy7nu6mSstQe16zA685VO8lZ2a_O8k8zWe5Bc1GExqBGfs7XIkqVZ0NtyV9T_RpjvmSUTpwX5oSY/s400/16+slat+template.jpg" /></a>
<P>
I start by laying the styrene onto the MDF strip. I once again put my angle to use to make sure that the lower lip of the template is butted squarely up against the lower lip of the MDF. I need this placement to be consistent across all of the slats, or else ... bad things. Like crossing the streams and all that. Dogs and cats living together. You know the routine.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljA2-A3Vg4gZPdCi-ut-G9GpSbiAC8ehis8BmT9b6F20LvIVBASWICoYIUZcnnDWfJlT4G-2tBjiTKKAepajT4PxDz471G6xgP0P_QACboMND7G5A5UyDozlbNIH4-bb5XrcFvVpKEyQ/s1600/17+transferring+template.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljA2-A3Vg4gZPdCi-ut-G9GpSbiAC8ehis8BmT9b6F20LvIVBASWICoYIUZcnnDWfJlT4G-2tBjiTKKAepajT4PxDz471G6xgP0P_QACboMND7G5A5UyDozlbNIH4-bb5XrcFvVpKEyQ/s400/17+transferring+template.jpg" /></a>
<P>
With the center point marked, and my knowledge of how wide the slats need to be, it's then a simple matter of just flipping the styrene template over and marking the other half of the MDF slat.
<P>
It's pretty much magic.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIdbu4zsNzHnYED14VnDp06PyCfyMHKqzegyAP9yV7jpZ4NZIHQiShLJL_Lpjs04WvCAJ9ELwV9nEYH1UI9AZZeZKg-qQp0FCDqANztS2a3kqFpANKrB36meKuAeaclvndtBVW0Qotw4/s1600/18+mirror+template.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIdbu4zsNzHnYED14VnDp06PyCfyMHKqzegyAP9yV7jpZ4NZIHQiShLJL_Lpjs04WvCAJ9ELwV9nEYH1UI9AZZeZKg-qQp0FCDqANztS2a3kqFpANKrB36meKuAeaclvndtBVW0Qotw4/s400/18+mirror+template.jpg" /></a>
<P>
Here is the slat all drawn out on the MDF. I'm now going to follow the exact same procedure I used on cutting the circle. Start with a coping saw, then take it to the bench grinder for fine tuning.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8CvMo8NSMpFNzO_kx7xHljtekSI7Nfc_lEuQFeWKGoG6lpkd65IbHYGt6l9WYRWI3z7L3P10A7AnXGdrrKtOaKt9pxyo69cToDy1Jm3jVYFjwNeASC8whUibtB7y_14pcEi89GHApQs/s1600/19+slat+ready+for+cutting.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8CvMo8NSMpFNzO_kx7xHljtekSI7Nfc_lEuQFeWKGoG6lpkd65IbHYGt6l9WYRWI3z7L3P10A7AnXGdrrKtOaKt9pxyo69cToDy1Jm3jVYFjwNeASC8whUibtB7y_14pcEi89GHApQs/s400/19+slat+ready+for+cutting.jpg" /></a>
<P>
Here's the first slat all trimmed and ready to go.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5I6pgGtNGyXQ3pTJdAur0oYHyAJwDFsJwzUMtO7el_RU2GBPnMLqvj94oLayZl9oJhi27NmNyi-DXfcOHNioMrLTp0uVERQg8k0uvqI5RAQjKXAEKqKfq7TUQmXPAlRhk-nCqklqks3I/s1600/20+slat+trimmed.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5I6pgGtNGyXQ3pTJdAur0oYHyAJwDFsJwzUMtO7el_RU2GBPnMLqvj94oLayZl9oJhi27NmNyi-DXfcOHNioMrLTp0uVERQg8k0uvqI5RAQjKXAEKqKfq7TUQmXPAlRhk-nCqklqks3I/s400/20+slat+trimmed.jpg" /></a>
<P>
Test fitting! AND it's perfect! The edges line up really nicely, and the center point matches. I'm really happy with how things are shaping up at this point.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBeCdA0BYIVCbr7ZwmQ96YhNJ8nqL36N_Gii3ftWON1GMOq42ut54BAucXtouTAWY9_FzKpecK1N2Dzj2Ca4bRpy5gg-6RvCIZQoDKFGd8XUzYCHoiChNQHXk9IJPecEHs0FFUTk_nxQ/s1600/21+slat+test+fitting.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBeCdA0BYIVCbr7ZwmQ96YhNJ8nqL36N_Gii3ftWON1GMOq42ut54BAucXtouTAWY9_FzKpecK1N2Dzj2Ca4bRpy5gg-6RvCIZQoDKFGd8XUzYCHoiChNQHXk9IJPecEHs0FFUTk_nxQ/s400/21+slat+test+fitting.jpg" /></a>
<P>
I cut the second one, and cut opposite teeth in both slats so that they would fit together. The idea is that these really serve as anchors for the rest of the pieces.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDCeWDMKcfMpWy-evRTdpcBD-nBOYnby-rExwGcQ8BW-KVOl51oywqwSimZExBq-QxXJvXmv1tzy6oujl8bS4jb3lpWSVANTIRHpuTjsbQRRJPatb5T388e8xFkAsSMwuzQPTxG11ql8/s1600/22+two+slats+with+slots.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDCeWDMKcfMpWy-evRTdpcBD-nBOYnby-rExwGcQ8BW-KVOl51oywqwSimZExBq-QxXJvXmv1tzy6oujl8bS4jb3lpWSVANTIRHpuTjsbQRRJPatb5T388e8xFkAsSMwuzQPTxG11ql8/s400/22+two+slats+with+slots.jpg" /></a>
<P>
I'm using regular old wood glue to attach the slats to the disk. It's like building a TARDIS all over again!
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75tqy1Sk3-6fagXd8zRhBA12qE479gADwAToJ9Xo0fyhrqOSr1uRM4xndrOTa65n1Sn9Yh14sLwYJkHf6LzyaVeeQVgrPJXYmJz73mVMMiv_oNbNS8fnwr0RDD7ZtsG2IemtR31QvWcw/s1600/23+first+slat+glue+down.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75tqy1Sk3-6fagXd8zRhBA12qE479gADwAToJ9Xo0fyhrqOSr1uRM4xndrOTa65n1Sn9Yh14sLwYJkHf6LzyaVeeQVgrPJXYmJz73mVMMiv_oNbNS8fnwr0RDD7ZtsG2IemtR31QvWcw/s400/23+first+slat+glue+down.jpg" /></a>
<P>
I glued the two slats down and clamped the edges into place. This effectively got rid of any and all warping of the disk along the two main axis. Good stuff! Looking great so far!
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyITeaskWCrd_u1YZt_bzU4jmOXx-bhZlmIlk22IQtSL6NCFqwZYRpnykbMlfJuNtQQE3oZWeC3E-5VzIUGvupXBJIA1KJMUUNcJ2Q2_QWFPPhyYFFT6biNnmwmIrFSF_RKKtQF9B-LI/s1600/24+first+two+slats+glued+in.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyITeaskWCrd_u1YZt_bzU4jmOXx-bhZlmIlk22IQtSL6NCFqwZYRpnykbMlfJuNtQQE3oZWeC3E-5VzIUGvupXBJIA1KJMUUNcJ2Q2_QWFPPhyYFFT6biNnmwmIrFSF_RKKtQF9B-LI/s400/24+first+two+slats+glued+in.jpg" /></a>
<P>
Fast forward, all the slats are now in place. Aside from those first two ones, the rest were all half slats.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIs22ZEInPsMbSymSjbbUkP5ir_xfq-X7PHWz2C-ry4gMcnqYMbi7gtwJpDD0tzVOUSEu66NGiq8AGlFSlUSJK5UDdaGXv1jN4Ya6wlu7tNtwinNpFh0gqrEC2pufZhjkjjuHtxaetSM/s1600/25+all+slats+glued+in.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlIs22ZEInPsMbSymSjbbUkP5ir_xfq-X7PHWz2C-ry4gMcnqYMbi7gtwJpDD0tzVOUSEu66NGiq8AGlFSlUSJK5UDdaGXv1jN4Ya6wlu7tNtwinNpFh0gqrEC2pufZhjkjjuHtxaetSM/s400/25+all+slats+glued+in.jpg" /></a>
<P>
After the glue had a chance to dry, this is how it turned out. I'm EXTREMELY happy with the results. Looking GOOD!
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxApBpjcCAj21RHo-Tvof7iVt6QpP6GNEIblUxUsJcp8SW3dFFZciaCuFIpk2Io7UMfFmnzA2bp90gsgPCA7p0ATlJjbmLeBhyzqiMlt47IQoPpBh-FqZ1AFVR8vyMpbPKhApWE_0GO0/s1600/26+clamps+removed.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxApBpjcCAj21RHo-Tvof7iVt6QpP6GNEIblUxUsJcp8SW3dFFZciaCuFIpk2Io7UMfFmnzA2bp90gsgPCA7p0ATlJjbmLeBhyzqiMlt47IQoPpBh-FqZ1AFVR8vyMpbPKhApWE_0GO0/s400/26+clamps+removed.jpg" /></a>
<P>
Now it's time to fill in all the gaps in between the ribs. My original plan was to use pink insulation foam, mainly because I had some on hand. The plan is to cut it into wedges, then glue them in place. Because the shield is taller than 1", I'll need to do two layers.
<P>
Using the same jig I created for drawing the circle on the MDF, I draw a circle on the pink foam. It's going to be a little too big, but who cares. I'll just trim it.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyerhoe0wqHJGSVWqgBR2F-tlXtZyq1A8TiI948BhswcnfFcwB9I3FDzYmsc5TeDI0JwyBp6l4CGqdN9RUFc8vEZgi68x488TWWb3pZk_Y8tg9uXZEW3oUpzAmoY9DuLAJ0Kldkhi2-A/s1600/27+pink+foam+circle+jig.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRyerhoe0wqHJGSVWqgBR2F-tlXtZyq1A8TiI948BhswcnfFcwB9I3FDzYmsc5TeDI0JwyBp6l4CGqdN9RUFc8vEZgi68x488TWWb3pZk_Y8tg9uXZEW3oUpzAmoY9DuLAJ0Kldkhi2-A/s400/27+pink+foam+circle+jig.jpg" /></a>
<P>
Just like with the MDF, I then use rulers and stuff to map out all the pie wedges.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnXuK-6iIvhyhfc95gOb_-Gn3Paqgk52tZWweZzdF-UjtjrV590xUNTBZf8nGIOjv6PiGUGVCXLc4JOtFe568cpEDvy806Pk-Ban7aN-Uig2zcSn6buGQbO2zSZp1XZuxrVSajOXPIZY/s1600/28+pink+foam+lines+scored.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnXuK-6iIvhyhfc95gOb_-Gn3Paqgk52tZWweZzdF-UjtjrV590xUNTBZf8nGIOjv6PiGUGVCXLc4JOtFe568cpEDvy806Pk-Ban7aN-Uig2zcSn6buGQbO2zSZp1XZuxrVSajOXPIZY/s400/28+pink+foam+lines+scored.jpg" /></a>
<P>
For cutting the foam, I'm using one of those long bladed box knives. I keep a sharpener handy to make sure the cuts are as clean as can be. Spoiler alert: it was not sharp enough and some of the cuts are kinda chunky. It really doesn't matter though, as this foam will be buried deep within the shield.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyedK5g03jI0etXUl2ohCtNMbhAWEOUuVdsjH6bo7YEWfuXp5vGC0fTkOEz0PKo5YtoQEXBMymOY2lD_JmNWkWyE7I31ngYgzAUHwOMbHAjrDFwkB00smYZnXuV82KjkSNuXEN8msEQeA/s1600/29+foam+cutting+tools.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyedK5g03jI0etXUl2ohCtNMbhAWEOUuVdsjH6bo7YEWfuXp5vGC0fTkOEz0PKo5YtoQEXBMymOY2lD_JmNWkWyE7I31ngYgzAUHwOMbHAjrDFwkB00smYZnXuV82KjkSNuXEN8msEQeA/s400/29+foam+cutting+tools.jpg" /></a>
<P>
Here's the foam all cut into wedges. Yay!
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKmFGArsn3mRf0swB9FgNLs8Joa8o5LLujv7MQjw0KtDzBdHuQAp_-d3u9IdLdDGoHbMKYJn1xyZ49oxXMlGx-oCAgfaLXowoqLL6PgA_seuRH968hyUGNLbls0YJ5N80x5TC-6mjvKY/s1600/30+cut+foam.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKmFGArsn3mRf0swB9FgNLs8Joa8o5LLujv7MQjw0KtDzBdHuQAp_-d3u9IdLdDGoHbMKYJn1xyZ49oxXMlGx-oCAgfaLXowoqLL6PgA_seuRH968hyUGNLbls0YJ5N80x5TC-6mjvKY/s400/30+cut+foam.jpg" /></a>
<P>
The final item I completed in this, my first day of building, was to glue the foam wedges into place. Honestly, I don't even know if the wood glue will hold, but time will tell. The good news is that I don't need much tenacity, as it only needs to hold the foam in place until I vac form the thing.
<P>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8y7H5xSLOeuLbTLlvH9_i7q2uGlJHm0SiQA4IXMSsfSZNfqERqU9o06zx0DSQg1tFWlzH7y9OwDsyRk6nzGfD-IchHd3Afvi0HWRTQcjxsooqZAlEWRk4JDb0RDz2e-T94DCv_SPDE8Q/s1600/31+foam+glued+in.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8y7H5xSLOeuLbTLlvH9_i7q2uGlJHm0SiQA4IXMSsfSZNfqERqU9o06zx0DSQg1tFWlzH7y9OwDsyRk6nzGfD-IchHd3Afvi0HWRTQcjxsooqZAlEWRk4JDb0RDz2e-T94DCv_SPDE8Q/s400/31+foam+glued+in.jpg" /></a>
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That brings to a close this first entry on the build. Everything you see here was completed in one day. In hindsight, it really doesn't seem like that much was accomplished, but much of the work was very repetitive and precise, which is really what took so much time. Stay tuned!
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<B>July 29, 2015 Update</B>
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Much has been accomplished in an afternoon of work, though some mistakes were make. As with almost every project, new things are tried, and new lessons are learned. New skills established and all that. This project is no exception.
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The first thing I did was trim away a bit of the pink foam. I used my coping saw and that big old blade I showed a picture of earlier.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehoFKH634zcjWSq7TPpuWAcBtthQcNUKyhnf0yHcTBy4KvPZXQb4YXrnq8v2_w349mWQBTR-5HHb-KbJAqs9n1mC0Rbfb-b3PKYCHeeqnM9qCs6TEYkHmay0LaFZU9P8o-0dpMtPKwbU/s1600/1+pink+foam+trimmed.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehoFKH634zcjWSq7TPpuWAcBtthQcNUKyhnf0yHcTBy4KvPZXQb4YXrnq8v2_w349mWQBTR-5HHb-KbJAqs9n1mC0Rbfb-b3PKYCHeeqnM9qCs6TEYkHmay0LaFZU9P8o-0dpMtPKwbU/s320/1+pink+foam+trimmed.jpg" /></a>
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And let me stop right here to say THIS is the point where things go sideways. My original plan was to cut more pink foam, glue it into place, and then shave it down to shape. Just like I did the first layer. But for some reason, I wanted to try something new. A friend of mine from Germany, Svetlana Quindt AKA Kaumi Cosplay, has done some truly amazing things with expanding spray foam. I watched one of her entertaining and enlightening tutorial videos a while back, and thought I would give it a try.
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Please check out Svetlana's website at <a href="https://www.kamuicosplay.com/">https://www.kamuicosplay.com/</a> and do yourself a favor and purchase one of her e-books. Amazingly well written and insightful. You'll be making armor like a pro in no time!
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Honestly I think my big mistake here was not letting the stuff cure overnight. Or maybe I got the wrong brand. Or maybe something else. Still, live and learn.
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Here's the stuff I picked up from Home Depot. Seems simple enough.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwLjuaCJmLIK14IWPP-uWeBvDXu6YyeUQeDVRjdfFotKYRksNXUD44JjZgwy8O7kA9d3DavxNMMTp8wD2Tvx1HcwfscOVf9TkBPg5frgB4aXKnltSI_kk5-1Vs37Tfmy0uIYKhy5JKb4/s1600/2+spray+foam.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwLjuaCJmLIK14IWPP-uWeBvDXu6YyeUQeDVRjdfFotKYRksNXUD44JjZgwy8O7kA9d3DavxNMMTp8wD2Tvx1HcwfscOVf9TkBPg5frgB4aXKnltSI_kk5-1Vs37Tfmy0uIYKhy5JKb4/s320/2+spray+foam.jpg" /></a>
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Here is the stuff right after it has been applied to the shield. Yes, it expands a lot. More than I anticipated, but that doesn't really matter.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPS4mTVTDKRBKuSIyCNqpikgcRUTUYgmdOvtWFSY-uV354hpzsssQGbhe-CcSJjchbfdkIxWJb1shF5eZAM2lu6UMDr0HxPnAvUp5pN-b9vIVH5lqmVf3RxAmo5vGBlpRSL2fZ4kKFjk/s1600/3+foam+applied.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPS4mTVTDKRBKuSIyCNqpikgcRUTUYgmdOvtWFSY-uV354hpzsssQGbhe-CcSJjchbfdkIxWJb1shF5eZAM2lu6UMDr0HxPnAvUp5pN-b9vIVH5lqmVf3RxAmo5vGBlpRSL2fZ4kKFjk/s320/3+foam+applied.jpg" /></a>
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Then I left the workshop to go see "Ant-Man," which I really enjoyed. When I came back to the workshop, the foam looked like this.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_8YJ6CuLj4nwtOpJ62_nFOR3HpzXybziR2-v3HnBaSJCI9OUuCTM3dRsJ6izndxO35jXB0xQFDnhLYBAc7kZWsunRvtz66GLmazZfXyVJkK4Zg9WT92OjXQ-tRNE3q35HH4MU9uMvhY/s1600/4+foam+dried.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_8YJ6CuLj4nwtOpJ62_nFOR3HpzXybziR2-v3HnBaSJCI9OUuCTM3dRsJ6izndxO35jXB0xQFDnhLYBAc7kZWsunRvtz66GLmazZfXyVJkK4Zg9WT92OjXQ-tRNE3q35HH4MU9uMvhY/s320/4+foam+dried.jpg" /></a>
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It was, for the most part, rigid. But it still had some give to it. That should have been my first indicator.
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I once again employed my coping saw and a long blade to cut the expanding foam to shape. It actually looked pretty good.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bw-bnRHZ1BLWB2O0kNDitETZkuXmpJZrj2ToGuyE1yVNJ_fuxsAR__0m42ZyTscxtyBytj69QcJyj17S2V-1g8gaXCuIZp23ZgYD0bnhKXS24UXUC5g0bESi8NS_ZvvnAax5C0B67Tc/s1600/6+foam+trimmed.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bw-bnRHZ1BLWB2O0kNDitETZkuXmpJZrj2ToGuyE1yVNJ_fuxsAR__0m42ZyTscxtyBytj69QcJyj17S2V-1g8gaXCuIZp23ZgYD0bnhKXS24UXUC5g0bESi8NS_ZvvnAax5C0B67Tc/s320/6+foam+trimmed.jpg" /></a>
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I think used my orbital sander and a sanding block to get things closer to the shape I wanted them to be.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLk76einO61YWGxWSZfGbd6ed6TYT4Bq5JSJiz2gtuX5qUQGZZV3GTNYn-yq3fWLsX2NhGhY1ikk0LfRw8mlW4EI-mmxABJWXx3fAUvXW2Hsi3G-VyCgzEkwr8mY0PwHmVgFZaRK0YRk/s1600/7+foam+smoothed.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLk76einO61YWGxWSZfGbd6ed6TYT4Bq5JSJiz2gtuX5qUQGZZV3GTNYn-yq3fWLsX2NhGhY1ikk0LfRw8mlW4EI-mmxABJWXx3fAUvXW2Hsi3G-VyCgzEkwr8mY0PwHmVgFZaRK0YRk/s320/7+foam+smoothed.jpg" /></a>
<P>
The bummer about foam is that fiberglass resin doesn't like it. Actually, I should be more clear. Some foams don't like some resins. I'll leave it at that, and leave it as an exercise for the reader to determine which foams don't like which resins. In general, the polyester resins that you will find at your local auto parts store or Home Depot are going to be caustic and corrosive to these types of foams. It'll be a total disaster.
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With that in mind, a common technique employed by foam builders, and folks who work with pink foam, is to coat the foam with a layer of white glue, or in this case "Mod Podge" to create a barrier between the resin and the foam. The glue does not react with the resin in a bad way, and therefore blocks the resin from wrecking the foam. That all sounds great.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcQBsBmbAkJNMyRpXq0-0zBy5gI3dIExm-nn2P818PRPebT_ZO1GUv7f1G2YiF11iZympj-yUd_97SNA5fUIYFRjUBzTb7HPPNrfoCH5W0CgU__jpma6_9TVeGqq7hBl0C3smA8bYqAk/s1600/8+mod+podge.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcQBsBmbAkJNMyRpXq0-0zBy5gI3dIExm-nn2P818PRPebT_ZO1GUv7f1G2YiF11iZympj-yUd_97SNA5fUIYFRjUBzTb7HPPNrfoCH5W0CgU__jpma6_9TVeGqq7hBl0C3smA8bYqAk/s320/8+mod+podge.jpg" /></a>
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A couple bummers to note at this point. There were GIANT bubbles/holes in the expanding foam I used. I don't know if I did it wrong, or if that's just how this particular brand of foam works. Also notice that by this time, the foam was contracting a lot. A. LOT. And that didn't make me happy.
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However, I proceeded with my plan to apply a coat of Mod Podge to the foam, which overall went just fine.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3LymrnrgMC53-XxNXYNxkZ8oBq4bH8H-LdiQYC0tBh9Q1dsCDJ3D9DBs0ZKj8Dp8uNQU8IjznJi8z_pdv82kC_KM9v4oZNh7jSmyvplGaSwzuA6sIkz7WoqlrCGiz8UeSrhr5MCXqMM/s1600/9+mod+podge+applied.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3LymrnrgMC53-XxNXYNxkZ8oBq4bH8H-LdiQYC0tBh9Q1dsCDJ3D9DBs0ZKj8Dp8uNQU8IjznJi8z_pdv82kC_KM9v4oZNh7jSmyvplGaSwzuA6sIkz7WoqlrCGiz8UeSrhr5MCXqMM/s320/9+mod+podge+applied.jpg" /></a>
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At this point I was kind of thrown off my game, and it went downhill fast from here. I then brushed on a couple of coats of West Systems EPOXY resin. In hindsight, I don't think the epoxy resin would have damaged the foam. I could have saved the Mod Podge step.
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I was going to throw some matting onto the shield to help build it up, but because the Mod Podge had not yet completely dried, I just kind of danced around the still-wet parts and did what I could.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo6F_aAf_vYVT4Nz5zKdQ9gp5xLkmP51-QgLDjj_xT4w6sCB_ecvdcV7RYy5HwS_yGneuHS_H1yvI-fWkTIHF0pdvMVYqb1VxMlLbTdZSIZuFLxlSMIXt8UN3qeY9SXsLL0nsNqYjwTY/s1600/10+first+layer+fiberglass.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo6F_aAf_vYVT4Nz5zKdQ9gp5xLkmP51-QgLDjj_xT4w6sCB_ecvdcV7RYy5HwS_yGneuHS_H1yvI-fWkTIHF0pdvMVYqb1VxMlLbTdZSIZuFLxlSMIXt8UN3qeY9SXsLL0nsNqYjwTY/s320/10+first+layer+fiberglass.jpg" /></a>
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And that's where it stands after session number two in the workshop. I have the pink foam shaped pretty well, and swiss cheese expanding foam collapsing by the minute.
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<P>
<B>July 31, 2015 Update</B>
<P>
Today was a productive day, though tiring. In between giving a lot of my attention to some new breakthroughs on my Superman Returns Cape project (YES, that project is STILL going!!!) and cleaning up the shop, the work on the shield really fell into the tired old loop of putty/sand/primer/repeat, which regular readers of this blog will know what a huge fan of that process I am.
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I ended up brushing on a couple of coats of Smooth-On 300, which is great because it cures quickly. I figured using the West Systems stuff was just going to delay the project, as it takes about 24 hours to fully cure. The 300 is ready to be sanded in 15 mins, and it can be used to build up recesses quickly.
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I also used some Evercoat kitty hair to fill some of the bigger voids, many of which were created when I carved out chunks of the orange expanding foam which really never got fully rigid. That's another bummer that resulted from using that spray foam instead of just cutting up more pieces of pink foam.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_F6l68AJySb_8TYLqyc6HnnQ0RF5j9jgR1CyJZ6bP22fhVVxubHseg-IjFy0i6CHaFSIAbuKTZYxRJeJ8JmEV-7Y4MbwbxDWynVcld84A0fS-RSBrDLfZWVQex0vpAjSU4wFXFtvoHI/s1600/1+first+bondo+layer.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_F6l68AJySb_8TYLqyc6HnnQ0RF5j9jgR1CyJZ6bP22fhVVxubHseg-IjFy0i6CHaFSIAbuKTZYxRJeJ8JmEV-7Y4MbwbxDWynVcld84A0fS-RSBrDLfZWVQex0vpAjSU4wFXFtvoHI/s320/1+first+bondo+layer.jpg" /></a>
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A couple coats of Rustoleum automotive primer later, along with a few applications of Bondo spot putty, and things are starting to look good. In general, I do not like Rustoleum primers, but for this project I found it suitable because first of all, they have it at home depot and it's fairly cheap, second it's a pretty heavy build primer, and third MDF tends to soak it up so it's great for filling it in. Same thing with bondo spot putty. Not the best putty and I would not recommend it for a finished prop, but for something like this which is going to be used as a buck, I like it because it's cheap, readily available, and also sands very easily. Using something like full blown Bondo or an Evercoat product would be overkill because it's expensive, and it's also much harder to sand.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UAGebTEwok_6bMUWe2_U_DHgPvvvUQikseI8m5wCFg2DI1S5bIdWh3ludTJwvcOjpRr7ocnvIP3jsMR8s9SjD9uyhKfKiv3nIcijOImnw9sOZb4m11dD8hawNukbtA1LtLFDW5NBHmQ/s1600/2+primer+and+putty.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UAGebTEwok_6bMUWe2_U_DHgPvvvUQikseI8m5wCFg2DI1S5bIdWh3ludTJwvcOjpRr7ocnvIP3jsMR8s9SjD9uyhKfKiv3nIcijOImnw9sOZb4m11dD8hawNukbtA1LtLFDW5NBHmQ/s320/2+primer+and+putty.jpg" /></a>
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Lastly, I put together a quick video showing what the shield looks like after this third day of work. Check it out if you are interested!
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<iframe width="640" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5uFXLxToiLs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<B>August 6, 2015 Update</B>
<P>
I can now say with complete certainty that it was a flat out, full on mistake to use that spray on foam stuff. While it may have valuable applications on a variety of projects, this is not one of them.
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The bottom line is that the foam never truly gets rigid, nor does it keep its shape. It seems to expand and contract based on temperature, which is a real bummer.
<P>
My attempts to get the surface of the shield smooth and uniform were constantly thwarted by the changing landscape of the shield, caused by the foam. After two days of wrestling with it and trying to compensate for the expansions or shrinkages, I have given up. That is to say, I'm just going to consider this "good enough" and fix any imperfections in the styrene pull that comes out of the vac form machine.
<P>
THAT said, I think it's really looking good so far, and I think whatever is produced by the vac machine will be a great starting point for the rest of the project.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRd6s9xemydKLFpA25wiXaks5DXCuTUKKbqVoI-TltEkI-JTihI67YlJM76tkJX5i62RaVNiRi-F8c0n2F8Bnl5egi2VGysVBFKiMJwcH7hOSq1f_33X366UXL-FCq7UyK993hYtOcV8Y/s1600/shield+buck+is+finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRd6s9xemydKLFpA25wiXaks5DXCuTUKKbqVoI-TltEkI-JTihI67YlJM76tkJX5i62RaVNiRi-F8c0n2F8Bnl5egi2VGysVBFKiMJwcH7hOSq1f_33X366UXL-FCq7UyK993hYtOcV8Y/s320/shield+buck+is+finished.jpg" /></a>
<P>
<B>August 24, 2015 Update</B>
<P>
I have started building a vac form table to help out with this project. I made a separate blog entry for it, so as to not entirely clutter up this post. <a href="http://mattmunson.blogspot.com/2015/08/mattmobile-steering-wheel-and-vac-form.html">Check it out right here!!!</a>
MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-8344041821182568452015-02-12T04:10:00.002-08:002015-02-12T04:10:28.011-08:00MattMobile - Shell Separation and Cockpit FabricationGreetings all and welcome back.
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It's been a very busy time at the workshop, and much has been accomplished. Not just that, but the work is visually pretty impressive. Let's get to it!
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The big thing that happened this week was the cutting in half of the shell.
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Here you can see I've made the first major cut. I did this will my skill saw and a high tooth count blade. I recall all the times I looked at other people's builds and thought to myself "What a bunch of losers! They can't even make a straight cut!" Turns out, it's really hard to be accurate!! Go figure.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72mZPt4tf4MMgNKf9RbvmxnYB8HttKmRTmhmOzo9AnEK25uutGsuIBTsVUU7hLb-AfVMofbtIbXgeaZ1eNOl32UvtDSoSni1lXnWgG4x85fj-yjkkMdoRcfPDHl8qNjwGOZzEu0zRLZA/s1600/1+batmobile+shell+first+cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj72mZPt4tf4MMgNKf9RbvmxnYB8HttKmRTmhmOzo9AnEK25uutGsuIBTsVUU7hLb-AfVMofbtIbXgeaZ1eNOl32UvtDSoSni1lXnWgG4x85fj-yjkkMdoRcfPDHl8qNjwGOZzEu0zRLZA/s640/1+batmobile+shell+first+cut.jpg" /></a></div>
<P>
Here's a little more progress on the cut. To get around the corners and into the weird spots I ended up using a variety of tools. A reciprocating saw, a hack saw blade, a coping saw blade, and even a dremel tool. Oh and a drill too.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-SGeRIYv4MHXEI-zDU2pwhU0kp7xOz4JdA5OHIEuuLsyr58-A1s_vjAbsDWpZuLMWshIInuGRJkp9A3f6Y9wsT3AmkebR4rRK8e2n7ZaBiyPNFtx6fIunQqQbcjCym0_v41UlqjT0sc/s1600/2+batmobile+shell+second+cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-SGeRIYv4MHXEI-zDU2pwhU0kp7xOz4JdA5OHIEuuLsyr58-A1s_vjAbsDWpZuLMWshIInuGRJkp9A3f6Y9wsT3AmkebR4rRK8e2n7ZaBiyPNFtx6fIunQqQbcjCym0_v41UlqjT0sc/s640/2+batmobile+shell+second+cut.jpg" /></a></div>
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And here's the money shot.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoaAjSeA4sRXFs6RXpYYRL95Aude_OZh2VJaKEmrpgPLlqX0rzCxBs0sMjE3DvEi5iTKuhsxax5nPMRIHfagbf97d66s8lOi3RVf2yvirfpC7PUZnSLm2F0o5zkc89zA94zbYW0UM-ff0/s1600/3+batmobile+shell+separated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoaAjSeA4sRXFs6RXpYYRL95Aude_OZh2VJaKEmrpgPLlqX0rzCxBs0sMjE3DvEi5iTKuhsxax5nPMRIHfagbf97d66s8lOi3RVf2yvirfpC7PUZnSLm2F0o5zkc89zA94zbYW0UM-ff0/s640/3+batmobile+shell+separated.jpg" /></a></div>
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Kinda crazy seeing it like this. Amazing how much of my workshop is now filled up with MattMobile stuff.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzUoMYg8g7bVQmSXpsgwc9zZK289LBLmnxupvlnz6muTBuXIVHG8jxcYKaQD3MQVOjsWzmXV8p9h46vejpL_2UfXw4UPx3bHOWsAVldfZ5M3MEkyA9NaS0TLpapkP8TTH3AHlo0rlklY/s1600/4+batmobile+shell+apart+from+body.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzUoMYg8g7bVQmSXpsgwc9zZK289LBLmnxupvlnz6muTBuXIVHG8jxcYKaQD3MQVOjsWzmXV8p9h46vejpL_2UfXw4UPx3bHOWsAVldfZ5M3MEkyA9NaS0TLpapkP8TTH3AHlo0rlklY/s640/4+batmobile+shell+apart+from+body.jpg" /></a></div>
<P>
This is how the main part of the car looks now. So tiny!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmJdnp4WNI7HSjXTu7FkyreRVdkmKxraz_XY3S_i0C2k1KMpdRWV7bwo0YDzaYdpSYwGaTrE-ghsgmUIuKQZdIADvKFuMm9HfohyphenhyphenStSqho9Fpx-wwHCpPG6VGtWDnyOFZGxV77hAAPjI/s1600/5+batmobile+body.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmJdnp4WNI7HSjXTu7FkyreRVdkmKxraz_XY3S_i0C2k1KMpdRWV7bwo0YDzaYdpSYwGaTrE-ghsgmUIuKQZdIADvKFuMm9HfohyphenhyphenStSqho9Fpx-wwHCpPG6VGtWDnyOFZGxV77hAAPjI/s640/5+batmobile+body.jpg" /></a></div>
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Look at those guts!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6PpPe0g8Rw384v7JQ82eYaoy8raViJ_e0UPyAojFxlJyhWR5YHTMEW2NHgnxUvAV8B9LCjC4oiZxJLE6fH2OS_TGcuP-5ZPAhut78Olwdai0TQlOLp7RVeASCGEO8rCSyBGwPWqbK8A/s1600/6+batmobile+guts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6PpPe0g8Rw384v7JQ82eYaoy8raViJ_e0UPyAojFxlJyhWR5YHTMEW2NHgnxUvAV8B9LCjC4oiZxJLE6fH2OS_TGcuP-5ZPAhut78Olwdai0TQlOLp7RVeASCGEO8rCSyBGwPWqbK8A/s640/6+batmobile+guts.jpg" /></a></div>
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The second big piece of work done lately was the rebuilding of the drive shaft tunnel. Interesting fun fact. The work you see in the picture below is the result of dozens of hours of work. The rebuild, which I explain below, took about three hours total. I guess once I wrapped my head around what was required, and had it all figured out, it was far easier to do a second one.
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The main problem with this first version is that it's too short. I'm a pretty tall guy, and my fear is that with that bar at the back positioned the way it is, I may very well run out of room. The goal was to rebuild it, but using the next support bar back as the anchor point.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEK9kAbma9kS0hAmo7Lb-m-t4gLUH6gglp4IlSFwW_8SW5_wyQkma0s813nuNRvf7rho5RhIsdKCDENJldHfvrDNy8XDHENwVvywreM_yn9Y6IE8wzjc0xkr4YxUlzDehlbRFebVrFfN8/s1600/7+drive+shaft+tunnel+version+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEK9kAbma9kS0hAmo7Lb-m-t4gLUH6gglp4IlSFwW_8SW5_wyQkma0s813nuNRvf7rho5RhIsdKCDENJldHfvrDNy8XDHENwVvywreM_yn9Y6IE8wzjc0xkr4YxUlzDehlbRFebVrFfN8/s640/7+drive+shaft+tunnel+version+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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With so many lessons learned from the first effort, cutting the stuff to length and getting it all clamped in and blocked out was pretty easy.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDmpnrOOWefA93LvsboAMY_6YHP0XXOuJHCxUh4LCI8a5dS6fYMJyP42xsR5wW2xc30-KFj3xid7VbRt3hcwBWuVT8R2q3upW_ImOneBidwyQVCRt0P73NAYLJx1YyBgZkk54Ab18Xd0/s1600/8+drive+shaft+tunnel+version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDmpnrOOWefA93LvsboAMY_6YHP0XXOuJHCxUh4LCI8a5dS6fYMJyP42xsR5wW2xc30-KFj3xid7VbRt3hcwBWuVT8R2q3upW_ImOneBidwyQVCRt0P73NAYLJx1YyBgZkk54Ab18Xd0/s640/8+drive+shaft+tunnel+version+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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I use blocks of wood, stacked to the correct height, as spacers. This allows me to position everything properly, and have it held in place as I weld. The profoundest lesson I learned from version one is just how much the metal moves when you weld. It's actually kind of staggering the amount of heat that is generated from that torch, and it's no wonder that the metal warps and moves from the heat. Clamping everything down is essential, and so is doing tack welds to hold everything in place. By minimizing the heat that is transferred to the metal prior to everything being firmly affixed into place, you can control how much warping happens once you start laying down thick welds.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTDq-HhxYQANaj9kd7fE9_89EFpdhPj0twwIVaTVAawDdQJ3DjSEe6uEFprOmnk7GKRsQatcjE3_PBYjrxU5aU6MreYzARiw2ipxdXty0ziNAf951LnWakN3Dm8ccS0zOCkfYVD6qKts/s1600/9+drive+shaft+tunnel+blocked+out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTDq-HhxYQANaj9kd7fE9_89EFpdhPj0twwIVaTVAawDdQJ3DjSEe6uEFprOmnk7GKRsQatcjE3_PBYjrxU5aU6MreYzARiw2ipxdXty0ziNAf951LnWakN3Dm8ccS0zOCkfYVD6qKts/s640/9+drive+shaft+tunnel+blocked+out.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHHXXOF9WuyvJg1Co9LQnFtUubxSQhxzBzEvj7d8iQSMjrfFtyjcAWoFxa25a54c7jdslPSR_-2pJbNZD8Ny51lcQ6UIkEzKuagZN2Y-LtHLjcu-DHpa1u2SfJycXJA-HXHIznfmHE18/s1600/10+drive+shaft+tunnel+blocked+out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHHXXOF9WuyvJg1Co9LQnFtUubxSQhxzBzEvj7d8iQSMjrfFtyjcAWoFxa25a54c7jdslPSR_-2pJbNZD8Ny51lcQ6UIkEzKuagZN2Y-LtHLjcu-DHpa1u2SfJycXJA-HXHIznfmHE18/s640/10+drive+shaft+tunnel+blocked+out.jpg" /></a></div>
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And here she is, all tack welded into place. I'm going to skip the full welds for now, until I have a little more of the cockpit built out. I would hate to change my mind again, and have to go back and tear the whole thing out. Again.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmf2GbRukdFhdXPRZPnzekTWCF9leAGqncnmQIT9GevakrI05-UP6YlznDI2gPQ51pkRnOppYqUkbyq63G3QL4vapjDHNVGJAbh1cFUohXVuCN2jE1S3etKjw7qye6vGGPgowSxfwcK6o/s1600/11+drive+shaft+tunnel+tack+welded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmf2GbRukdFhdXPRZPnzekTWCF9leAGqncnmQIT9GevakrI05-UP6YlznDI2gPQ51pkRnOppYqUkbyq63G3QL4vapjDHNVGJAbh1cFUohXVuCN2jE1S3etKjw7qye6vGGPgowSxfwcK6o/s640/11+drive+shaft+tunnel+tack+welded.jpg" /></a></div>
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As you can see, definitely a very busy month for the MattMobile! I really want to focus on building out the cockpit for the next couple of weeks. The bummer is that it's very slow going, as the metal fabrication requires a lot of attention and care. The old thing about "Measure twice, cut once" is never more true than with metal work. Ok, it's probably more true with brain surgery, but that's not my thing.MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-45972443773857219142015-02-11T23:29:00.000-08:002015-02-11T23:29:41.359-08:00MattMobile Gun Door ReBuild - Mold Is Now CompleteThe past week has been a wildly productive one on the car, and I'm really excited with all of the progress I've made. Not only on the build, but also the logistics behind it. Hopefully will have a big announcement to make soon that will be in regards to a burst of productivity which should be forthcoming.
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This post is dedicated to the gun doors, which I have been remastering. The work accomplished so far hasn't really consumed a ton of time, it's just been spread out over a week or ten days. I am definitely bouncing back and forth between a few projects right now, and this is one that I jump on as time permits.
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The part of the process I have really loathed the most is the perfecting of the master. As regular readers of my blog will know, I struggle with perfection. That is to say, I want stuff to be perfect, but I recognize that achieving that level that I'm looking for often takes immense amounts of time and focus. The double bummer is that I'm far more likely to abandon a project out of frustration because I've already invested so much time and I've grown bored with it... before it reaches perfection.
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One of the trends you may have noticed in recent posts is my slipping more towards the "done" side of the scale, and away from "perfect." I should really change the name of my blog to "Perfect Is The Enemy Of Done."
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For this project, Done is an important factor, but that doesn't mean I want it to look crappy. What that means for this master is that I limited myself to two passes with primer and putty. Primer/putty/sand/repeat is a rock solid recipe for madness when it comes to me and my projects. I just want to noodle the thing to death until it's perfect. The only way I seem to be able to triumph is to put hard restrictions on myself.
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Here you can see my second pass at the putty. I had already done one pass where I filled in the main seams, but there were still some lumps and dents after the coat of primer went down.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcacQW1xydN9KxQXZ_0LRTMgrfqKL2IpeKEjvt8UPJEjF9UBDdJt1Ro_6cqaDpdUy0QbfKljQll7i7vwZXuCrMTspl_D8h9ma3UJOEgDevCGbsh_niCLjmiJD22l5Aam1goiS3seKVhk/s1600/1+batmobile+gun+door+vents+putty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcacQW1xydN9KxQXZ_0LRTMgrfqKL2IpeKEjvt8UPJEjF9UBDdJt1Ro_6cqaDpdUy0QbfKljQll7i7vwZXuCrMTspl_D8h9ma3UJOEgDevCGbsh_niCLjmiJD22l5Aam1goiS3seKVhk/s640/1+batmobile+gun+door+vents+putty.jpg" /></a></div>
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A progress shot showing the clean up process.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRe2LHTkGDRWdACOCidt8trJhHmb_LAIJj_GQNoztb9t_SMcd3jAvDlk3veG8MwysV_X0ewK2w3eVqNyQr118ilhZofYrLmwxIOuKEGKJ8CoPDTFm5Ri6-pMa1Nnrwn2x2ljpSayE_jw/s1600/2+batmobile+gun+door+putty+work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRe2LHTkGDRWdACOCidt8trJhHmb_LAIJj_GQNoztb9t_SMcd3jAvDlk3veG8MwysV_X0ewK2w3eVqNyQr118ilhZofYrLmwxIOuKEGKJ8CoPDTFm5Ri6-pMa1Nnrwn2x2ljpSayE_jw/s640/2+batmobile+gun+door+putty+work.jpg" /></a></div>
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And now the second pass of putty has been all cleaned up.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnDpDzfofQku3HB-cHanoRHSj5k3paB67yf6yrtc-X5lnEQmRsQDThUGFch4dMHhQaUocmFAQc-rJwbP8n-bnVzibXBja8hGq2cVKxDQEpblcGlZl4Mfrf9nYgbuKLxbSaM3a5uYDikw/s1600/3+batmobile+gun+door+putty+clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnDpDzfofQku3HB-cHanoRHSj5k3paB67yf6yrtc-X5lnEQmRsQDThUGFch4dMHhQaUocmFAQc-rJwbP8n-bnVzibXBja8hGq2cVKxDQEpblcGlZl4Mfrf9nYgbuKLxbSaM3a5uYDikw/s640/3+batmobile+gun+door+putty+clean.jpg" /></a></div>
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Time for molding!
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I secured the master to a larger piece of MDF with a couple of tiny dabs of wood glue. I didn't need to to be really secure, just enough for it to stay flat against the panel.
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One thing I've learned over the years is to make sure your work bench is level when you're pouring a mold. I ended up with wedges under two of my table legs in order to get the top surface flat.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidaUdreGmqpir9d3tSEDGYq22HEk-EtTzRXwMld6lKv3Dg07JkdPdvxxsA9e0ptMdWvAXLt1PojAEKMmmRHT2VjGd7tc7nlKmco0nAlHrUXJsC1zcGyB2I1UURfK6OAiPSiWHfo40iAL0/s1600/4+batmobile+table+level.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidaUdreGmqpir9d3tSEDGYq22HEk-EtTzRXwMld6lKv3Dg07JkdPdvxxsA9e0ptMdWvAXLt1PojAEKMmmRHT2VjGd7tc7nlKmco0nAlHrUXJsC1zcGyB2I1UURfK6OAiPSiWHfo40iAL0/s640/4+batmobile+table+level.jpg" /></a></div>
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I tried something new with this mold. Because the gun door is for the most part flat, but with a really tall bit in the middle, I thought it wise to do a two pour mold. This is done entirely to minimize the amount of rubber I have to pour. Rubber is expensive.
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I did one pour, which covered most of the mold. Then I hot glued in a couple more pieces of foam core to dam off the louver section of the master.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFOwVqWQZYdqwyjR4CPU5R8pECaNdCocccsajsSC1K_uWL778N1LiO04VDnllXpUafZiwLi5siV3b-Z3HHBl1pFe4pPaIxGh3VU69WjXJgOdZCtX_dn8VHpUsF5EqklX8bnQunfHDPyM/s1600/5+batmobile+gun+door+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFOwVqWQZYdqwyjR4CPU5R8pECaNdCocccsajsSC1K_uWL778N1LiO04VDnllXpUafZiwLi5siV3b-Z3HHBl1pFe4pPaIxGh3VU69WjXJgOdZCtX_dn8VHpUsF5EqklX8bnQunfHDPyM/s640/5+batmobile+gun+door+mold.jpg" /></a></div>
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Another pour later and we are good to go!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4y6DXKPvEo95JaTI8JteN_JJ12ioj0IXcRLWPyaWXXtEslq2fmPolB1ft9-yZ84BKbtpzRel9OwDmQ_9THRZXp9rzrRyh3TxU0b6HLE31KPPg4tH98nma9u920wshoTvcRcbT7Muibkk/s1600/6+batmobile+gun+door+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4y6DXKPvEo95JaTI8JteN_JJ12ioj0IXcRLWPyaWXXtEslq2fmPolB1ft9-yZ84BKbtpzRel9OwDmQ_9THRZXp9rzrRyh3TxU0b6HLE31KPPg4tH98nma9u920wshoTvcRcbT7Muibkk/s640/6+batmobile+gun+door+mold.jpg" /></a></div>
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A day later, here's the rubber all cured, and the dams removed. Turned out great!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5VYkddrVuQLG6YtPR8ZJqcFw66euCv8mEX9TWYY7rVi0v3uX1axUi_e4NtA0gVesL0jJFvsOfcHzHPWumUWEYsCsT0AUBEKtASPkubjxsGLXv8WX-N6bl3gTuHpYsScm3rVAqFFksJTc/s1600/7+batmobile+gun+door+mold+cured.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5VYkddrVuQLG6YtPR8ZJqcFw66euCv8mEX9TWYY7rVi0v3uX1axUi_e4NtA0gVesL0jJFvsOfcHzHPWumUWEYsCsT0AUBEKtASPkubjxsGLXv8WX-N6bl3gTuHpYsScm3rVAqFFksJTc/s640/7+batmobile+gun+door+mold+cured.jpg" /></a></div>
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I next built an even wider dam, which is going to hold in the rigid matrix that I then poured. The idea behind a matrix is that it serves as a back bone for the flexible rubber mold. Because the fit of the gun doors is very precise, and the dimensions are very meticulous, I want the pulls to be the right shape. So I make a rigid matrix to ensure that the mold retains it's shape when it comes time to pour up a positive. Or in this case, do a fiberglass layup of the positive.
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I used BJB TC-1630 for this matrix, which is NOT what the stuff is intended for. However, I had the remnants of a 2 gallon kit lying around, and it's way past its expiration date. I tested a bit of the stuff, and while it still cured properly, it was far less viscous and a bit more sandy than a fresh batch would have been. I considered this a perfect use for this dead stock.
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For reference, I also laid in some fiberglass matting in between coats of 1630. Just for strength.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4rsa7em2PRdk8q-yE1l7LH4ZQSqkuFKdWAB4J4vG5mohwGmmFaFcy9I7SnL7x8lhqZMNb07yTS7CDDAhPKI-JjDz0NorseZNl8_IjxSWl3pzBXS5HkI6pfxGkkqYuFxQ0yWDHyN6Kmc/s1600/8+batmobile+gun+door+mold+1630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4rsa7em2PRdk8q-yE1l7LH4ZQSqkuFKdWAB4J4vG5mohwGmmFaFcy9I7SnL7x8lhqZMNb07yTS7CDDAhPKI-JjDz0NorseZNl8_IjxSWl3pzBXS5HkI6pfxGkkqYuFxQ0yWDHyN6Kmc/s640/8+batmobile+gun+door+mold+1630.jpg" /></a></div>
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After a few hours to cure, I popped the matrix mold off. Please note that I brushed on a layer of vaseline before pouring the 1630. Without it, it would have bonded VERY securely to the MDF and the foam core I used to build the dam with.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDf_7XsolPz2HYdjObzdoQ_5MTmWLT0dtdV4JWVXm37tfxqWFCiKwWixN0srm9hWak_5FajT-1YmZ0MirGyVEbsHRcgaDOFzXfYS0gQHdPDTYCwc3V-pP1kRBAQLAD8p1rTHBKBkjSju4/s1600/9+batmobile+gun+door+mold+matrix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDf_7XsolPz2HYdjObzdoQ_5MTmWLT0dtdV4JWVXm37tfxqWFCiKwWixN0srm9hWak_5FajT-1YmZ0MirGyVEbsHRcgaDOFzXfYS0gQHdPDTYCwc3V-pP1kRBAQLAD8p1rTHBKBkjSju4/s640/9+batmobile+gun+door+mold+matrix.jpg" /></a></div>
<P>
After a little bit of trimming, the mold sits in the matrix perfectly!
<P>
Next step is to do a fiberglass layup and see how it fits in the car!
<P>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSinWMLI8-CmKfnA52JDxrIn0fJkEvRfd9KaIXsmHzg1bbDLP9GdXXUcJ4ZDPtmh9m3X_HzzqmNVRUa3NhoO6I9cAT4cIGPuOAP7k6DSdAz7lBmmd19uTg6A_P9M2pXWpThN3Dtht21Rc/s1600/10+batmobile+gun+door+mold+finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSinWMLI8-CmKfnA52JDxrIn0fJkEvRfd9KaIXsmHzg1bbDLP9GdXXUcJ4ZDPtmh9m3X_HzzqmNVRUa3NhoO6I9cAT4cIGPuOAP7k6DSdAz7lBmmd19uTg6A_P9M2pXWpThN3Dtht21Rc/s640/10+batmobile+gun+door+mold+finished.jpg" /></a></div>
<P>
I may end up offering copies of my gun doors to fellow batmobile builders if anyone is interested. As it was a pattern I build from scratch, I'm hoping I won't be stepping on any toes by doing so. If you're interested in a set, please drop me a line.MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-340639647539708902015-02-11T22:54:00.001-08:002015-02-11T22:54:15.715-08:00DareDevil Billy Clubs Version 2.0 Almost CompleteAlmost done now! The only task remaining on this project is to zap them with a coat of matte clear, and remove the last little piece of masking tape from the cable.
<P>
Here you can see how the clubs looked after the red. I did three light coats, in direct sunlight. I'm completely convinced that a UV blast is necessary to help these Dupli-Color paints cure properly. I tried painting at night, in a warm room, and the paint still went foggy on me. Be careful!
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The red I used is just one I eyeballed. It's probably a little bit too dark, but who cares. It looks great. As I mentioned in another post, I'm more concerned with the project being done than it being accurate. This is for a costume, not a display piece.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81J07R_DEW_H9rydUYueq2K_cpZt_h_9R4VFCHyGye82ULeSCnQRk-JnNeJi3-kj5WkTMH-qMfIekfPrWrMxguR5_5aH23XB84J7RtVRpJShLG-B7tXVR05rSYJuv7Xsfji_LO0cDe_M/s1600/1+painted+red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81J07R_DEW_H9rydUYueq2K_cpZt_h_9R4VFCHyGye82ULeSCnQRk-JnNeJi3-kj5WkTMH-qMfIekfPrWrMxguR5_5aH23XB84J7RtVRpJShLG-B7tXVR05rSYJuv7Xsfji_LO0cDe_M/s400/1+painted+red.jpg" /></a></div>
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I didn't photograph the masking off process, as this has been documented thoroughly elsewhere on this blog. I used the low tack blue tape from Home Depot. The most important thing to remember when painting something that is masked off is to do light coats. If you spray on too heavily, capillary action will pull the paint under the tape, at the corners usually, and ruin your paint job. By doing light coats, the paint never accumulates thickly enough on the surface for this to happen.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtV2afXS1EsTGJILQP_g_fyJBIgQ8N1o5Dt1LfmbtsNlp6dZu9AcC0GB3aYYUXrqBj0ohSerpz2f7ys4858JLYFQzu-5hyphenhyphenKP05XCjMLHZa_fSF1W6kWqxMlveJ4pcuCossrrczXgigNuQ/s1600/3+daredevil+billy+clubs+painted+done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtV2afXS1EsTGJILQP_g_fyJBIgQ8N1o5Dt1LfmbtsNlp6dZu9AcC0GB3aYYUXrqBj0ohSerpz2f7ys4858JLYFQzu-5hyphenhyphenKP05XCjMLHZa_fSF1W6kWqxMlveJ4pcuCossrrczXgigNuQ/s400/3+daredevil+billy+clubs+painted+done.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here's a close up of one of the tips. I think the silver is a little too bright, and not enough metallic. But again, it's done, so I'm happy with it. The real ones had media blasted tips with polished angel faces, but for my purposes this is totally fine.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6mVTem_qJR-cjz17xPywJfJl7iuiONbcm936n3yTOMJPl_AwmLerC2X3PkRuFfNGq-aalydtQyfB3WRH8RiSWrNEG7UV4XnIc7ceC2bUjcMD3Pp3ypiBqJ6-V1VF_h7N4NIyf_AOnbE/s1600/4+closeup+daredevil+billy+club+angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6mVTem_qJR-cjz17xPywJfJl7iuiONbcm936n3yTOMJPl_AwmLerC2X3PkRuFfNGq-aalydtQyfB3WRH8RiSWrNEG7UV4XnIc7ceC2bUjcMD3Pp3ypiBqJ6-V1VF_h7N4NIyf_AOnbE/s400/4+closeup+daredevil+billy+club+angel.jpg" /></a></div>
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Because these came together so fast, and turned out so well, I think I may put together a couple variants of the clubs. In the movie, he not only has the nun-chuck style clubs, but also two separated clubs, and one version where the two clubs are joined end to end to make a longer one. I think I will try to do those two styles also.
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Thanks again for keeping up with this blog! I hope you've enjoyed this build.MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-43225494167494002022015-01-26T23:30:00.000-08:002015-01-26T23:30:00.056-08:00MattMobile - More Gun Door Progress and Drive Shaft Tunnel WorkJanuary of 2015 is shaping up to be a very productive month in the history of the MattMobile. In hindsight, 2014 was pretty slow, but I accomplished MANY great things on many other fronts. The MattMobile definitely languished, though I am hoping to correct that this year.
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One of the tasks that has been on the todo list is knocking out the two circular windows on the canopy
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I started with this drill bit. The goal here is to drill a big thick hole that the skill saw blade can fit through.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcerrP_lDajsrP32REJGQ6-ohW50V0oFLfDrtYbbrKxILP6_qHenFwMhzNQGN1b56U0zYnoZmt0dzHXJSXUt3wzDpdRIqcM8aVgyV4CzKljDqFLP2owNf1VgZPHWLdHFDuRv2VIzNgu-g/s1600/1+drill+bit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcerrP_lDajsrP32REJGQ6-ohW50V0oFLfDrtYbbrKxILP6_qHenFwMhzNQGN1b56U0zYnoZmt0dzHXJSXUt3wzDpdRIqcM8aVgyV4CzKljDqFLP2owNf1VgZPHWLdHFDuRv2VIzNgu-g/s640/1+drill+bit.jpg" /></a></div>
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Like this one.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2a0CX0y86xsBf53HxvF-fI4oEA6VAOlW6O0aSudTVpchKtj553m0YrBE5ocNQcU_u7Oc9ORRpVBb91_idxdj9iy8zXsVPxGXU5G9Iif4DRXeScHvciYGSWo3R5sj2Osbj3NUn19Iofs/s1600/2+hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2a0CX0y86xsBf53HxvF-fI4oEA6VAOlW6O0aSudTVpchKtj553m0YrBE5ocNQcU_u7Oc9ORRpVBb91_idxdj9iy8zXsVPxGXU5G9Iif4DRXeScHvciYGSWo3R5sj2Osbj3NUn19Iofs/s640/2+hole.jpg" /></a></div>
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Ye Olde Trusty Skill Saw comes out to play. They make special blades for fiberglass.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7dvoXmlEE_1egQcG1qfPsh_Uiog8KOc0yDGC7aODr7OVezsrzpuVFlH4Pi3DCW9D8OmU70h0vwvo8YYUW08i1tdnfai9Wi3IgZ2XSKXKulEUO6cEGsIoAfndDxX_i-vOyLL9O5WD3Qs/s1600/3+skill+saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7dvoXmlEE_1egQcG1qfPsh_Uiog8KOc0yDGC7aODr7OVezsrzpuVFlH4Pi3DCW9D8OmU70h0vwvo8YYUW08i1tdnfai9Wi3IgZ2XSKXKulEUO6cEGsIoAfndDxX_i-vOyLL9O5WD3Qs/s640/3+skill+saw.jpg" /></a></div>
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And here it is. A bit of work with some files and sandpaper, and it'll be perfect. I need to go in from behind and sand down the fiberglass on the back side so that it's the proper thickness.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmeFyy7c3qLHye81-Z2GeBRkwuOtija1HEbhMbXWqYCXn4R5Y7CfSaGRludEfdKxm6qPT20_QQAduRupVoCLscDejZI5cOYcyeuTtr75CB_-pg1yDumjZhH1Pm2XXU1KQhPkfnGREMxe8/s1600/4++cutout+hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmeFyy7c3qLHye81-Z2GeBRkwuOtija1HEbhMbXWqYCXn4R5Y7CfSaGRludEfdKxm6qPT20_QQAduRupVoCLscDejZI5cOYcyeuTtr75CB_-pg1yDumjZhH1Pm2XXU1KQhPkfnGREMxe8/s640/4++cutout+hole.jpg" /></a></div>
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And now back to the gun doors.
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Here's where it stands after a couple of coats of primer. I did a TINY bit of sanding on the holes at the front end to make them more uniform, but overall I'm extremely satisfied with the shape and symmetry of this master.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb3k2FrwtUpZizYavuWUNkpSU7EgUmPjTbuZXPkoXwThq4XX4w_RD__p9zfmwg99GutJMVAywHhhTDt2-dGbZwAu9nBCAuPFYtmnnPw26V55XyuuxksWp8lS7IDRr-WE5jc_g3CFT_Eyo/s1600/5+gun+door+primered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb3k2FrwtUpZizYavuWUNkpSU7EgUmPjTbuZXPkoXwThq4XX4w_RD__p9zfmwg99GutJMVAywHhhTDt2-dGbZwAu9nBCAuPFYtmnnPw26V55XyuuxksWp8lS7IDRr-WE5jc_g3CFT_Eyo/s640/5+gun+door+primered.jpg" /></a></div>
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I used a pencil and a t-square to mark off where the new louvers are going to be placed. I used the one that came with my Batmobile shell as reference.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJBPeMz5y_ChDYfjgITEljvEC3jJ1fJYn_F-qdBQP7hdrCXs6kRIJvwkxIhlJGEiLdDuioLW0kKC8z19kCpGUE8xG4J_FPoYzN7fLzWT2w3mKrbINqU_1z4Eci7cCshIxnlPQFOLEhN0/s1600/6+louver+markings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJBPeMz5y_ChDYfjgITEljvEC3jJ1fJYn_F-qdBQP7hdrCXs6kRIJvwkxIhlJGEiLdDuioLW0kKC8z19kCpGUE8xG4J_FPoYzN7fLzWT2w3mKrbINqU_1z4Eci7cCshIxnlPQFOLEhN0/s640/6+louver+markings.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here's the mold of one of the louvers being made. As you can see I build a box out of foam core and hot glue, a technique I have discussed numerous times previously on this blog and my videos.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6hq8hFR_D9xzwEiP-ro6UmlbEGUvRpNu7Nzjofv2uN7PAvg66q1Wj2OW8B06r6J2kQ0qlXdZmbNzKsgbaNIXgo4OhgwIisuy4Aii8IZRL2batwh6ITQB6OfGlxWZcEZpV8oLO_2OVrw/s1600/7+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6hq8hFR_D9xzwEiP-ro6UmlbEGUvRpNu7Nzjofv2uN7PAvg66q1Wj2OW8B06r6J2kQ0qlXdZmbNzKsgbaNIXgo4OhgwIisuy4Aii8IZRL2batwh6ITQB6OfGlxWZcEZpV8oLO_2OVrw/s640/7+mold.jpg" /></a></div>
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After a night of curing, here's how the final mold came out. It's absolutely perfect.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr071DEV4wQ865njYIfuXOAu7VebBeYgo4ujmY58zhRPmXdPVWdnLDx5aDyMg-P32Ri-A0KmALKpHR6YuLsnHeGKyF41nwCc_jKRvZcIr3wJ9xGdhcP5Q_JAy6fjGWRy98xHCpBgJ07Z0/s1600/8+finished+mold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr071DEV4wQ865njYIfuXOAu7VebBeYgo4ujmY58zhRPmXdPVWdnLDx5aDyMg-P32Ri-A0KmALKpHR6YuLsnHeGKyF41nwCc_jKRvZcIr3wJ9xGdhcP5Q_JAy6fjGWRy98xHCpBgJ07Z0/s640/8+finished+mold.jpg" /></a></div>
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I use Smooth Cast 300 from Smooth-On to cast up a set of the louvers.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFlfQLRifLjSqn-rxxbbtpxaGHdLTwWsIkZjd7dGVfpnF1x-6kO01oRdqM6Q8-YsJXnXC7pd2FpcOJKmr7f-NUQc99uinCCtqI0uRneJxDI9RqgJNDciknFdk-32J_FNu5RSBylnL_sc/s1600/9+casting+up+a+piece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFlfQLRifLjSqn-rxxbbtpxaGHdLTwWsIkZjd7dGVfpnF1x-6kO01oRdqM6Q8-YsJXnXC7pd2FpcOJKmr7f-NUQc99uinCCtqI0uRneJxDI9RqgJNDciknFdk-32J_FNu5RSBylnL_sc/s640/9+casting+up+a+piece.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here's how they look after they come out of the mold, before they are cleaned up.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gl0s6WFx0XDSe4mn4Jasm-4h912zDtUZdJJtni4Tf9sbpPIorC5QVUG3K42yhONh0yV168DoxK08Cx5UF0sMzVaPIaNnCtGaTz2nm0rHj9LRkfS9EdCvXsswa2UySb6uvlbGfOSEn84/s1600/10+first+few+castings+raw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gl0s6WFx0XDSe4mn4Jasm-4h912zDtUZdJJtni4Tf9sbpPIorC5QVUG3K42yhONh0yV168DoxK08Cx5UF0sMzVaPIaNnCtGaTz2nm0rHj9LRkfS9EdCvXsswa2UySb6uvlbGfOSEn84/s640/10+first+few+castings+raw.jpg" /></a></div>
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After a little bit of sanding, they all look great and are ready to be glued down to the MDF master.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRCMQ9k5mhSeZHSJhU4th9YBGDs3T8dtmUYx7A1PaKrGbYO-1Jwizulzk82ikjJ3Fdj5xfgoN6yEH6AiTMUIRzkGMCt6hlCRTnDXApr7vqi8S5nfb8tBmxn0i2w2_g7muFdGfVGWJ7MA/s1600/11+finished+resin+castings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRCMQ9k5mhSeZHSJhU4th9YBGDs3T8dtmUYx7A1PaKrGbYO-1Jwizulzk82ikjJ3Fdj5xfgoN6yEH6AiTMUIRzkGMCt6hlCRTnDXApr7vqi8S5nfb8tBmxn0i2w2_g7muFdGfVGWJ7MA/s640/11+finished+resin+castings.jpg" /></a></div>
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Almost done now. I still need to do a tiny bit of work with the spot putty to soften up the seam between the resin louvers and the MDF master, but you get the general idea.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_7p5_uY6869XVeJpqjhqN3ho6qxsSlIv7PIdcqA_gkm5bV51hqazDmB3i2x7lVBkbpFwOZ4ylv2PP8iQfgMhWFKfCiagmM_Fpczaa6lDl1D5QygMshppGIwxpn08dIr9PkYoilnZ6MQ/s1600/12+primered+gun+door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_7p5_uY6869XVeJpqjhqN3ho6qxsSlIv7PIdcqA_gkm5bV51hqazDmB3i2x7lVBkbpFwOZ4ylv2PP8iQfgMhWFKfCiagmM_Fpczaa6lDl1D5QygMshppGIwxpn08dIr9PkYoilnZ6MQ/s640/12+primered+gun+door.jpg" /></a></div>
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Switching gears, it's time to do a little welding! I'm trying to build out the cockpit, and I've decided the first order of business is to build out the tunnel for the drive shaft. Best way to start that process is with a selfie. Duh.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3GKYiQwTKBywwJuLwb9dSioqF1gvec7t49rB40jHReADE1ttksh65KaIJ8KgY0Rn9E7LB6-DB4xgQ590UuOMlAUiO0xpK75ogm_wf5W-wDL199mBhMWJ9bPWP9939kt19rjlS2ml0s0/s1600/13+welding+munson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3GKYiQwTKBywwJuLwb9dSioqF1gvec7t49rB40jHReADE1ttksh65KaIJ8KgY0Rn9E7LB6-DB4xgQ590UuOMlAUiO0xpK75ogm_wf5W-wDL199mBhMWJ9bPWP9939kt19rjlS2ml0s0/s640/13+welding+munson.jpg" /></a></div>
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Before building out the tunnel, I wanted to see how much clearance I had for the seat. I put the seat into the car in approximately the location it will end up. By my calculations, it should fit. It'll definitely be tight, but it should all work out.
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Hashtag famous last words.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_svJVtK-mF0uNk-sKt9uhONWeFJP06iJACvIxMRz3O7_5wY0jqq42pbTbdKcsqeBu3hyJLpClgQbgEsLPcIKHNqxflG2Ty52YrdUFScbmZz6_VF1DZKNQa1iw2NY-J2szWHbsVWHO5g/s1600/14+chair+clearance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_svJVtK-mF0uNk-sKt9uhONWeFJP06iJACvIxMRz3O7_5wY0jqq42pbTbdKcsqeBu3hyJLpClgQbgEsLPcIKHNqxflG2Ty52YrdUFScbmZz6_VF1DZKNQa1iw2NY-J2szWHbsVWHO5g/s640/14+chair+clearance.jpg" /></a></div>
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I've fabricated this "ladder" thing to act as a support for the tunnel. It might be overkill. I could probably just build the tunnel out of sheet metal, but I've decided to build a support system to which the sheet metal will be attached. The right idea?? Unsure.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NWmK0zYZKY6B__eQbbeYWgWweNSa51dDbkmFq3AZBu0qsVJc5mdaHB8e0ycsiKmBpQgUPPVW9165jewdl5JNC_C4NOqLBbeoHs25ct2kQ0Gvq840igaDPBfKlr724iO-F934MO1tCC8/s1600/15+ladder+construction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NWmK0zYZKY6B__eQbbeYWgWweNSa51dDbkmFq3AZBu0qsVJc5mdaHB8e0ycsiKmBpQgUPPVW9165jewdl5JNC_C4NOqLBbeoHs25ct2kQ0Gvq840igaDPBfKlr724iO-F934MO1tCC8/s640/15+ladder+construction.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here's the tunnel, all assembled welded and ground, fit into place. I have a little bit of work to do to make it fit perfectly, but overall I'm very happy with the progress. It looks great!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWn_8bGe1iaFzXDzoqqjMpuZMEFJFOW5FmHFSsWz8I64MHlw-1XyHL33UdJ86KlJNYuO-CFnh__zFE8GinaDEFd_xMjcr-bdQYdyOSAmYi07g1kmqG5Zsy6VmaEXRoEI04kVxTyfdQOc0/s1600/16+tunnel+in+place.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWn_8bGe1iaFzXDzoqqjMpuZMEFJFOW5FmHFSsWz8I64MHlw-1XyHL33UdJ86KlJNYuO-CFnh__zFE8GinaDEFd_xMjcr-bdQYdyOSAmYi07g1kmqG5Zsy6VmaEXRoEI04kVxTyfdQOc0/s640/16+tunnel+in+place.jpg" /></a></div>
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As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, metal fabrication is SLOW GOING. It's very time consuming and meticulous. You'd never know just by looking at that last photo that it took about five hours to do that work. Madness.MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-34116679291422758022015-01-26T23:01:00.001-08:002015-01-26T23:01:43.158-08:00DareDevil Billy Clubs Revisitied - Now More AccurateMany moons ago, I wrote a blog post walking through a very quick and dirty build up I did of some DareDevil Billy Clubs, which I needed to go with a costume.
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<a href="http://mattmunson.blogspot.com/2012/06/daredevil-billy-clubs-in-one-hour.html">Check it out here:</a>
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Through an unforseen and unexpected twist of events, it has come time to revisit this project, and put together a much more accurate version of these billy clubs.
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My goal is still to build them at the "cosplay" level, meaning only that I will not be attempting to make them museum quality. It does not mean that costuming stuff is lower quality, or that less effort goes into it. Only that I will be focusing on a different set of requirements. For example, one of my goals is to make sure that these are robust enough to withstand constant handling, dropping, slipping in and out of the holster, etc. Will this be less work than a museum quality set? Probably not. Will it be a different KIND of work? Absolutely.
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I start off with two raw, resin castings of a stunt billy club. The master for these is a made for production piece. This is great because I know it's 100% accurate. The master also serves as great color reference.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfdgP6bcAUk9nMAFct0pz2eJKwV7aKIWzzQYi3HaKmzBOWRI3otX1EnrlA3oBEhhvC3AboCWvwaiNdZE57rSASxv3EJXkTdT3fCJ4MX3Vd024Rf8zYzueZ9-8gm2zYUjSS0W3tsUoXc8/s1600/1+raw+castings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEfdgP6bcAUk9nMAFct0pz2eJKwV7aKIWzzQYi3HaKmzBOWRI3otX1EnrlA3oBEhhvC3AboCWvwaiNdZE57rSASxv3EJXkTdT3fCJ4MX3Vd024Rf8zYzueZ9-8gm2zYUjSS0W3tsUoXc8/s640/1+raw+castings.jpg" /></a></div>
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I did a bit of clean up on the pieces, but nothing too extreme. Remember, the goal is that these look good in photos, and from ten feet away. This allows me a lot of freedom in the process, and doesn't require that each little bubble be filled, or that the seam be completely cleaned up.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAGoL7-eDG7p-8NvCMIIw7zOvYDKBGJ6Y-AVytu5MvGUWvvDXXA7HkftcUzXz6ln33Evtw2l-m-l62OW-UNz8g8ByOweYHGCbqQjCXXq9DAxG8q-yVwjCyymesyLzHQcW9Bs8_qfZoyk/s1600/2+primered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAGoL7-eDG7p-8NvCMIIw7zOvYDKBGJ6Y-AVytu5MvGUWvvDXXA7HkftcUzXz6ln33Evtw2l-m-l62OW-UNz8g8ByOweYHGCbqQjCXXq9DAxG8q-yVwjCyymesyLzHQcW9Bs8_qfZoyk/s640/2+primered.jpg" /></a></div>
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I had to do some serious thinking about how I was going to manage keeping these two clubs together. I ended up choosing some 1/16" cable that I got from home depot. There's some little crimping widgets that I used to form the ends into a loop, which a set screw is threaded through.
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To get the set screw into place, I had to drill a hole through the club and tap it. Then I had to drill a hold down the top of the club, through which the cable and newly formed loop would feed.
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Though this looks pretty simple, you are looking at the culmination of a few hours of work here.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxqMcoaIDndETt_gypFPlZZfL2DILBSbzGScnqX8yZKbnbrl1iKJ9AvDAexs4c5KX5Gcu7jxx0oHRg4OFl6w28xuddG4axQUcnzOxWLrXLnZMDHXEYmyQVOx025iV_Mwjwo6ObXG-zc0/s1600/3+hardware.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxqMcoaIDndETt_gypFPlZZfL2DILBSbzGScnqX8yZKbnbrl1iKJ9AvDAexs4c5KX5Gcu7jxx0oHRg4OFl6w28xuddG4axQUcnzOxWLrXLnZMDHXEYmyQVOx025iV_Mwjwo6ObXG-zc0/s640/3+hardware.jpg" /></a></div>
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As of today, that's all the progress I have. I will need to do some more primering on these before painting, but they are almost ready for the next steps now.
MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-31122220350012909092015-01-26T22:37:00.001-08:002015-01-26T22:37:24.485-08:00MattMobile Progress - Gun Doors and Air Bags.Finally another blog post about the MattMobile! About frickin' time! For those of you who have not been following my exploits on Facebook or YouTube, I have been extremely busy with the work of film making. Been writing, executive producting, all kinds of stuff. Be sure to check out some of my recent blog posts for more details, especially for a link to Loadout!
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First things first. Here's a look at the car in its current condition. You may be thinking "not much has changed!" You'd be right! 2014 was not a very good year for me as far as progress on the car goes. It was a GREAT year for me in regards to a number of other projects and personal accomplishments, but MattMobile progress was not one of them.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVg5yqMu3ACv-G2b_9XMYgaSMh75gJ3viu8nmc9mCRg9MI6tITUpK5ABJIQoJG4sXD3pKzNN480yP5kxGhj9waR_BFlvI1phpdz3XCPFDwQkLInbRXV81NPwQXdvAJZ52aY_ExauTR1D4/s1600/0+car.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVg5yqMu3ACv-G2b_9XMYgaSMh75gJ3viu8nmc9mCRg9MI6tITUpK5ABJIQoJG4sXD3pKzNN480yP5kxGhj9waR_BFlvI1phpdz3XCPFDwQkLInbRXV81NPwQXdvAJZ52aY_ExauTR1D4/s640/0+car.JPG" /></a></div>
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I got it in my head that what I really wanted to do was to rebuild the gun doors. I'm not sure what the builders club term is for these things, but these are the covers that go over the port that the big guns pop out of. In the movie, these doors are just ejected from the car, which I always thought was a really cool little piece of story telling. This picture shows what I'm talking about. You can see the big hole where the gun wold emerge from, and next to it is the cover. Like any kit, this shell needs some tlc in a few places, some more than others. The gun covers are probably the most desperately in need part of the entire build. I have seen other people try to straighten them, or reinforce them with steel, but I figured it would be a lot easier for me to just start from scratch. Oh, and that's a made-for-production DareDevil billy club sitting on the car too. No biggie.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-zpV7N6fC0PHl9OLHjMntttZ_Sgg9bMk1xk-ayIc6ZLSFTyllzu9S32XOPW6Kn9qAvicHZVx9PTae_nhPPy76COqgtrrH1QEMFtUYHcwHzMvhHDzmrPpwHKGz3GIRqPcCY5kYnjcw4E/s1600/1+original+piece.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-zpV7N6fC0PHl9OLHjMntttZ_Sgg9bMk1xk-ayIc6ZLSFTyllzu9S32XOPW6Kn9qAvicHZVx9PTae_nhPPy76COqgtrrH1QEMFtUYHcwHzMvhHDzmrPpwHKGz3GIRqPcCY5kYnjcw4E/s640/1+original+piece.JPG" /></a></div>
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I started off by measuring the opening, and made a few adjustments accordingly. I wanted to make sure the new doors would fit, but would also have an even gap running around the entire edge. I began by measuring a large rectangle on a piece of 1/4 inch MDF. I drew in a few different lines, so that I could use my poor-man's table saw technique, which I have discussed in previous posts.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNffsydowdVju6nC2dLfLZRQgMba865EozeulOI29tyqd86sxBi0E1RirJEBz3kXT56g6uEYB0ezysz44SEeGmLWxl0GhdXJXYKhCrlivhXuhsbLb8pEpcheVtIYbNorKsK5UoUWur__g/s1600/2+initial+measuring.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNffsydowdVju6nC2dLfLZRQgMba865EozeulOI29tyqd86sxBi0E1RirJEBz3kXT56g6uEYB0ezysz44SEeGmLWxl0GhdXJXYKhCrlivhXuhsbLb8pEpcheVtIYbNorKsK5UoUWur__g/s640/2+initial+measuring.JPG" /></a></div>
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The thing that's great about this technique is that I can be extremely precise. A table saw typically proves to be problematic when it comes to keeping everything aligned and spaced perfectly. Using my method, I clamp a piece of aluminum stock to the wood, one inch from where I want to cut. My rotary saw has a one inch guide on it, so I line up the guide with the aluminum, and I get nice straight cuts every time.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQn297SDUAD6_OwwPmguDu49sjHXCuNNL8-_-sWY_70biTTT0WjHUOZCUuyCnOEq67T0WzdGLMK7qEqHESQsFNkSeljpiDPP4js-tkrD_58rHyk-i7Toc4Se54pCuqmeXCQlS6fffs__g/s1600/3+cutting+to+length.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQn297SDUAD6_OwwPmguDu49sjHXCuNNL8-_-sWY_70biTTT0WjHUOZCUuyCnOEq67T0WzdGLMK7qEqHESQsFNkSeljpiDPP4js-tkrD_58rHyk-i7Toc4Se54pCuqmeXCQlS6fffs__g/s640/3+cutting+to+length.JPG" /></a></div>
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Here's the piece cut to the correct length and width.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBP9GXwmscEWHWGjJXyNgefCKs2PdTYADY1QSPnkhyphenhyphen3HXimnXbrxPoGSNeZEjYrZXJorRJ5MVLmS0U3iyLsXyubk_6yyWR3jTBKqsBuJdL0p525td_iLbF_XMDZxsZ5j8VYx31iKBhHYk/s1600/4+cutting+width.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBP9GXwmscEWHWGjJXyNgefCKs2PdTYADY1QSPnkhyphenhyphen3HXimnXbrxPoGSNeZEjYrZXJorRJ5MVLmS0U3iyLsXyubk_6yyWR3jTBKqsBuJdL0p525td_iLbF_XMDZxsZ5j8VYx31iKBhHYk/s640/4+cutting+width.JPG" /></a></div>
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And here is the cut piece in comparison to the door from the kit that I am trying to recreate.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMN2s23lVfZH0YlmS6_Buc2LeUW2aXKiwYaE77HCZgLb6NnH15Rg0PM7v47Qjkb6CIQPyh1VU2aV4EmjmwRPLIBd4UXUUIuTZ5nR64vHVTPtoNnFhV4VgXvRImj5yTzuV918GLoSqpoY/s1600/5+comparison.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMN2s23lVfZH0YlmS6_Buc2LeUW2aXKiwYaE77HCZgLb6NnH15Rg0PM7v47Qjkb6CIQPyh1VU2aV4EmjmwRPLIBd4UXUUIuTZ5nR64vHVTPtoNnFhV4VgXvRImj5yTzuV918GLoSqpoY/s640/5+comparison.JPG" /></a></div>
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Now it's time to start working on the curves. I don't have a compass big enough to draw a half circle in the diameter I need, so I had to improvise. I took a piece of styrene, and measured out the desired radius I wanted for my arc. I used one point to locate a push pin, which serves as an anchor. I put the tip of my pencil in the other hole. I then stick the pin in the MDF, right in the middle of it, and then just draw out the arc.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKa4PbMKw7aUvrk8NszfdnTmmaDDOYdsPzzK4XWPySSnAjj4ivrX4670nl1jl8hRiW4qWLVY8EXTYjt_RBgS_-RfxKZuuKPls-6AdBF2Sb4ALsG85gwlc-ZFiNMiwpmcZRgRtzH7CY914/s1600/6+circle+tool.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKa4PbMKw7aUvrk8NszfdnTmmaDDOYdsPzzK4XWPySSnAjj4ivrX4670nl1jl8hRiW4qWLVY8EXTYjt_RBgS_-RfxKZuuKPls-6AdBF2Sb4ALsG85gwlc-ZFiNMiwpmcZRgRtzH7CY914/s640/6+circle+tool.JPG" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrM_7xQacTygJGF_UjmrDuqfDfhezrivKEn-EA7jiqc_eyoblFMZ1k09Sw1pHcDEm7bCvTE4BN5ThvxyxeNgawn2vssw_w80i4kNY-OnnRPT0wYpoW6pjxDvqCQU3TQZetE8X9UYHSQRM/s1600/7+drawing+the+circle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrM_7xQacTygJGF_UjmrDuqfDfhezrivKEn-EA7jiqc_eyoblFMZ1k09Sw1pHcDEm7bCvTE4BN5ThvxyxeNgawn2vssw_w80i4kNY-OnnRPT0wYpoW6pjxDvqCQU3TQZetE8X9UYHSQRM/s640/7+drawing+the+circle.JPG" /></a></div>
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Here's what it looks like all drawn out and pretty. It's not 100% precise, but it's close enough for my purposes.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7f6-PwrhzhaHye9SRGCwmM7dygANbbZDhkSlinrVuDJzRaG_ZGQ_yf-fwqYcxEhfsi1M6Av5QgsfeDRF-UbuEHIwPxInBZItoffb-rc4FR5zVH8H-1m95wTjc9jSriRxjYKgXKmEa9DM/s1600/8+the+circle+drawn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7f6-PwrhzhaHye9SRGCwmM7dygANbbZDhkSlinrVuDJzRaG_ZGQ_yf-fwqYcxEhfsi1M6Av5QgsfeDRF-UbuEHIwPxInBZItoffb-rc4FR5zVH8H-1m95wTjc9jSriRxjYKgXKmEa9DM/s640/8+the+circle+drawn.JPG" /></a></div>
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I then use a coping saw to cut out the general shape. I don't try to get too close to the lines, as that's when errors happen. I'd much rather cut wide, then end up doing a llittle extra sanding. The other option is to accidentally cut too deep, and then have to putty and sand. Which I hate.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVisquZBrmBEpVF8VbkI7z2ObantsXdr4t-Fk0nsw8ax72e6odSL91Gun5U5aRH4WyR2D7kbv1bGaeSUCeVyUBxGVpYVUrFZnOzYj6RxV5vh6UKs0t2h0eaMEsl9l0dtWEjWksSc03DQ/s1600/9+first+cut+of+circle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVisquZBrmBEpVF8VbkI7z2ObantsXdr4t-Fk0nsw8ax72e6odSL91Gun5U5aRH4WyR2D7kbv1bGaeSUCeVyUBxGVpYVUrFZnOzYj6RxV5vh6UKs0t2h0eaMEsl9l0dtWEjWksSc03DQ/s640/9+first+cut+of+circle.JPG" /></a></div>
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I use a piece of scrap wood with some sand paper stuck to it as my sandin block. This allows me to shape the arc into what I want it to be.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkN0mrOiA3xr8chRWIacHfId0hw1h_Umlwh0RTwEgOje9bK-J5SnHHOrl9-LPxGIMNEFaeyO0kmpn-uLHOQdb_HO9MHdWyY6bZo3S3qY2h73t70FGYApDwzDG1ritINqqrTgiT9CeeXo8/s1600/10+sanding+down.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkN0mrOiA3xr8chRWIacHfId0hw1h_Umlwh0RTwEgOje9bK-J5SnHHOrl9-LPxGIMNEFaeyO0kmpn-uLHOQdb_HO9MHdWyY6bZo3S3qY2h73t70FGYApDwzDG1ritINqqrTgiT9CeeXo8/s640/10+sanding+down.JPG" /></a></div>
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The next step was to work on the arcs on the read corners. I experimented a few times with the radius until I got it right. I tested my measurements using the same scrap piece of styrene. This time I was able to use my compass to draw the arcs.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4cVhA2-u221OKwwcuxQiNNoTyudKwWI0hUxNctzRC_01stfR6xqOW9MOgHAokwOayQV96AO2zXf_OjXmAiSThYwv2eAKz1XZaPDAD4lqhYKIEKRKwRRWT4GVQfyVwRo6rI688DbudgQ/s1600/11.+test+radii.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4cVhA2-u221OKwwcuxQiNNoTyudKwWI0hUxNctzRC_01stfR6xqOW9MOgHAokwOayQV96AO2zXf_OjXmAiSThYwv2eAKz1XZaPDAD4lqhYKIEKRKwRRWT4GVQfyVwRo6rI688DbudgQ/s640/11.+test+radii.JPG" /></a></div>
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And it was then a simple matter to transfer them to the MDF. you can see where I drew lines on the MDF so that I could locate the center point to my circle.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbLQhjkVzfx3OAPzuGNuiTkWt6zaQJ1ODZY8lIMwR42CoxGTGubuMEtKw2qx1dBRQxkfRPjEk2-JIxL5_JUN85tSXrmlPH2HLBurwYyR6KQEUW8On0B8tce4qKR_jDynRaf3-AKG3Z6w/s1600/12+marking+edge+corners.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbLQhjkVzfx3OAPzuGNuiTkWt6zaQJ1ODZY8lIMwR42CoxGTGubuMEtKw2qx1dBRQxkfRPjEk2-JIxL5_JUN85tSXrmlPH2HLBurwYyR6KQEUW8On0B8tce4qKR_jDynRaf3-AKG3Z6w/s640/12+marking+edge+corners.JPG" /></a></div>
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Using the same technique for finishing out the arc using the coping saw and my sanding block, the rear corners now look like this.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlPYO1T2XFwt3p4VS5Qd9MQLDmQzSCmgBiK4wz6eDtaA_x32pKB0hlUgr19_A1CRkXz1qrUrFctmLxyg-WkMWbZdQbDLNlk3DBnTTnwdloJyPVwlCfmXShDFb0Q3nlUxXGHlqOiKSobE/s1600/13+cut+corners.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlPYO1T2XFwt3p4VS5Qd9MQLDmQzSCmgBiK4wz6eDtaA_x32pKB0hlUgr19_A1CRkXz1qrUrFctmLxyg-WkMWbZdQbDLNlk3DBnTTnwdloJyPVwlCfmXShDFb0Q3nlUxXGHlqOiKSobE/s640/13+cut+corners.JPG" /></a></div>
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I didn't take any pictures of the process of drawing out these shapes, but it was very similar to the process I've already described in this post. I used a piece of styrene scrap for the main circle, then a compass for the smaller circles. A coping saw cut out the main shapes, then sanding paper and some files were used to get them to where I need them to be.
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I thought long and hard about how to get the louvers onto my new master. I originally planned to cut all of them off, and then transplant them onto my new pattern. That seemed a little destructive, and in looking at the louvers, they are all asymmetric and need some attention. I figured, rather than clean up a bunch of them and then transplant, how about I clean up one of them, mold it, then pour up six copies and attach those to my new master. And a new plan was born! I started by hitting the first one with a couple coats of primer, so that I could reveal the flaws in it.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhPwRjSBthglyoDizjr-R4FLIL4FO_mFba9LAd-RqZKnj_Nr9_mJ4UL2MDNI5rg4vZTAnCIl0PrHfUPXl5uENH3-buEUZ3CA0HWBfelaXP4WJ2AsgSKADClPRwlCv-c7EaGPweyq05RU/s1600/15+louvres.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhPwRjSBthglyoDizjr-R4FLIL4FO_mFba9LAd-RqZKnj_Nr9_mJ4UL2MDNI5rg4vZTAnCIl0PrHfUPXl5uENH3-buEUZ3CA0HWBfelaXP4WJ2AsgSKADClPRwlCv-c7EaGPweyq05RU/s640/15+louvres.JPG" /></a></div>
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Then I went in with some spot putty and filled in the more aggregious offenders.
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Some sanding and another coat of primer later, and one of my louvers is ready to be duplicated.
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That about wraps it up for progress on the gun well covers for today. I left the project alone so that the paint could dry overnight. Molding on the louver will be the first thing I do upon return to my shop.
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Another task I wanted to attend to was making the airbag hoses fit properly. As build the hoses get smushed in the only opening on the back spring housings. I don't even know if that is the right term, but whatever. My plan to fix this involves three steps. First is modifying the mount on the airbag so that the hose is free to go straight up, rather than have to snake around a bit to get out of the opening in it's current position. After some fun with the reciprocating saw and the drill press, I came up with this. Not exactly elegant, but fully functional.
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Step two is to drill a hole in the spring housing that is big enough to fit the hose.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasFolxNHQikzpIwGfzpvjw9mcMHzflW78umBZAzCxz9V2d6Og630UD1ZyY-QArU83KHbElR4zTjr9sxN69Jd1jipcoU7CX11AqWFrNZX2aZqlhvDvhvs_2UUpHjktMF1cL4oqPstkFX8/s1600/18+drilled+hole.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasFolxNHQikzpIwGfzpvjw9mcMHzflW78umBZAzCxz9V2d6Og630UD1ZyY-QArU83KHbElR4zTjr9sxN69Jd1jipcoU7CX11AqWFrNZX2aZqlhvDvhvs_2UUpHjktMF1cL4oqPstkFX8/s640/18+drilled+hole.JPG" /></a></div>
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Here you can see both of the bags are installed, with the hoses now coming out of the housing unhindered. This will stop the hoses from getting worn any time the bags are inflated or deflated. They shift a little in their resting positions, causing the hoses to get cut up. I don't want that to happen.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEOZ9i2VZzsNrFLxolK_Jb4D78a2iFgyIVd_5RmUdMLN37BMeituBlU6RsenGwtQ66SkJqkVWuT06Ggi60em6TnFAZn4bBP43N66S5I4uJLWzX8XkLJub37RvRqGpMV1vKnqtEJkC4QU/s1600/19+airbags+installed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEOZ9i2VZzsNrFLxolK_Jb4D78a2iFgyIVd_5RmUdMLN37BMeituBlU6RsenGwtQ66SkJqkVWuT06Ggi60em6TnFAZn4bBP43N66S5I4uJLWzX8XkLJub37RvRqGpMV1vKnqtEJkC4QU/s640/19+airbags+installed.JPG" /></a></div>
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The third step, which I have not yet completed, is to drill a new hold in the mag mount plate which will allow me to bolt the plate to the spring housing. That will stop the airbag from spinning or moving at all, thus insuring that the hoses are in no danger of getting sliced up.
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Lastly, Bo The Welder was on hand tonight to do some work on the electrical harness on the Harley. Lots of progresss. It's really coming along now.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kdYsuX11B05QtM5uEqgmBzioKx74lQlvjvjy6btP_9BplcGeI9T0wENjmZNZQP6D_cKsUWeUBR7lS7keWFdClJi1ZoPmYhofyUEDtFugPzntsIsI3011eEfYPfDzHkmw2F0XCgWmrC0/s1600/20+bike.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kdYsuX11B05QtM5uEqgmBzioKx74lQlvjvjy6btP_9BplcGeI9T0wENjmZNZQP6D_cKsUWeUBR7lS7keWFdClJi1ZoPmYhofyUEDtFugPzntsIsI3011eEfYPfDzHkmw2F0XCgWmrC0/s640/20+bike.JPG" /></a></div>MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140735335407192760.post-55583453232939787442014-12-24T05:35:00.000-08:002014-12-24T05:35:26.665-08:00Asking For Legal Help On Social Networks and Online Forums Is A Terrible IdeaIn this post, I'm going to write down a few thoughts I've had over the years about the topic of seeking legal advice online from non-lawyers.
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But first, I'll start with a brief and concise summary of the entire post, in case people are fans of TLDR:<P>
<b>Do not ask people online for help with your legal problems. Hire a lawyer. The End.</b>
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I will follow that with a piece of free advice - if you have started a discussion online about a legal problem of yours, delete it immediately. Or contact a moderator of the forum and have it deleted immediately. Remove from view all trace of that discussion. (If you just read that and you're skeptical, please read on. Then come back to this paragraph)
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Full disclosure. I'm not a lawyer. I've never studied law. Nor do I want to. However, I have discussed with MANY people of knowledge the topics covered in this blog post. Feel free to ignore it if you'd like. I'd be curios to hear how that pans out for you :D
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With that out of the way, let's dig into a little bit deeper. First, how does this usually come up?
I've seen the following scenario unfold dozens, if not hundreds of times over the years: Someone is in some kind of pickle, and they're not a lawyer, but they want to find out what their legal options are. So they go online to their favorite discussion forum, message board, or social media outlet and ask their online friends what they think. I've seen things like the following asked in the past:
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<UL>
<LI>I think my wife is cheating and I want to know what my options are for a divorce.
<LI>My neighbors house is full of pot smokers, I'd like to know what my rights are.
<LI>My boyfriend broke into my house last night and stole all my stuff. Should I call the cops?
<LI>I got ripped off in the mail to the tune of 2,000 bucks. Should I sue them?
<LI>My girlfriend called the cops on me last night claiming I had beaten her. What do?
<LI>I was sexually harassed at work, but I'm not sure if I should tell HR.
<LI>My kid got suspended from school, and I'm thinking of suing. What's the best way to proceed.
<LI>I got caught downloading music illegally. Should I worry?
<LI>Trying to kick my dead-beat boyfriend out of the apartment, but he won't leave. What do?
<LI>Someone is slandering me online. How can I get them to stop?
<LI>Got screwed in an online transaction, I want to sue!
<LI>I just got a C&D from Disney. Should I comply?
<LI>A contract I signed tricked me into relinquishing some ownership rights I did not want to. Is it binding?
<LI>Got a DUI last night. Should I fight it?
<LI>I'm thinking of kicking some dudes ass!!
<LI>Homeless dude is squatting in my rental property and I can't get him to leave. Thinking of hiring some friends to physically remove him.
<LI>I got caught on a traffic cam running a red light. Will that go on my record?
<LI>I'm trying to copyright an idea. How do I do it?
<LI>My landlord is trying to evict us, but he's totally off his rocker, right?
<LI>Someone stole my idea for this great product! How do I go about suing them?
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And there's like a million more just like this. It goes on and on and on.
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I'll start by saying this, and it's a bit of a rant. So if you don't like rants, skip ahead to the section that has my list of reasons not to discuss legal matters with someone who isn't a lawyer. Talking about your legal problems online is utter madness, and complete lunacy. The only good that will possibly come from it is that you may get a temporary feeling of happiness or relief. Someone might say something reassuring. But that's it. Committing anything to writing, especially on the internet, will only serve to ruin any kind of legal claim you might have. Talking about it to people who are strangers, who have differing agendas than yours, who may in fact have malicious agendas, is a terrible idea. For those of you who have been on the internet (or alive) for more than ten minutes, surely you already know that anything you say about someone online will get back to them almost immediately, right? This is also the case when discussing legal matters.
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Whenever you hear yourself saying "I want legal advice" your next step is to hire a lawyer. If you cannot afford a lawyer, it is my belief that your next step is to stay quiet. Posting about it online will ONLY serve to hurt you. Let me be quite clear: NO GOOD WILL COME OF IT. Find a lawyer who specializes in the area of the law that you are interested in, research them, and if they meet the criteria you set forth for your target lawyer, schedule an appointment with them and go in to discuss your case.
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Here's the list I mentioned earlier. This is a brief, and not complete list of GREAT reasons not to talk about your legal troubles online.
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<UL>
<LI><b>Anything you say can and WILL be used against you in a court of law</b> - it's the backbone of your Miranda rights, and the wording of it is very precise. If something comes out of your mouth, it WILL be used against you. Which is one reason it always fascinates me when people discuss legal matters with anyone other than their lawyer or their spouse. (Spouse's cannot be compelled to testify against you.) Saying NOTHING online is your best option, because ANYTHING you say CAN and WILL be used against you. The one thing worse that saying stuff is writing stuff. A good lawyer could call into questions someone's recollection of what you said, or maybe they misheard you because it was a noisy street or something. But if you commit something to writing, and it's on the internet, it's compelling.
<LI><b>There's a reason lawyers are not cheap, nor free</b> - It's because their services are valuable. They can save you money, keep you out of jail, get you compensation for your suffering, or defend you from someone who is trying to unjustly hinder your ability to pursue happiness. Just like you wouldn't expect a doctor to perform surgery on you for free, or an auto mechanic to fix your car for free, why would you think a lawyer would give you his services for free? If you're thinking "well I can't afford a lawyer, and maybe I have a friend who is a lawyer and is willing to help me for free" then please refer to the other points in this list. Hopefully they will convince you that this line of thinking is madness.
<LI><b>Not a lawyer at all</b> - "I'm no lawyer but..." is usually the way many people respond to requests for legal assistance or advice. If someone's not a lawyer, you don't want their legal advice. If he's not a lawyer, it means he doesn't know about the law. Which is the topic you are seeking expertise in. See where I'm going with this?? If you wanted advice on the cancer your grandmother has, and a gardener offered up his thoughts, would you give it much credence? NO! You want to hear from a doctor who actually knows something about cancer! What if your Audi broke down, and you need it fixed. Would you take advice from a guy who does language translations for a living? You're probably saying "Well, what if that language translation guy fixes audi's as a hobby? Or has a ton of experience fixing Audi's??" and to that I respond again: read the rest of the bullet points.
<LI><b>A terrible lawyer</b> - The person who responds to your post or inquiry might actually be a terrible lawyer, and could be giving you bad advice. Maybe they got disbarred, never passed the bar, or got thrown out of their profession for practicing the law poorly, or maliciously. Without having a way to investigate their bona fides, or check references, the person giving you advice may very well be the worst lawyer in the world.
<LI><b>An uninformed lawyer</b> - Laws vary from state to state, country to country, county to county. Let's say you do happen to have a friend who is a lawyer, they are legit, and they are good intentioned. But that does not mean in any way they are knowledgeable of the laws that are applicable to you and your case. Because of the wide variance in laws from place to place, a lawyer that is not intimately familiar with the stuff on the books in your area can easily end up doing more damage than good. Law is also very specialized, and broken down into a near infinite variety of different fields. While someone may be a fantastic Intellectual Property lawyer and they even operate in your county, this does not mean they know anything about bankruptcy laws, or home lending.
<LI><b>A troll lawyer</b> - What would stop someone who was not a lawyer AT ALL from telling you they are indeed a lawyer, and then proceeding to give you bad legal advice. Maliciously giving you bad legal advice, mind you. As before, without a way to check on the credentials of a potential legal representative, you have no idea what their motives are. Could just be some dude who wants to mess with your life. Sadly, there are many people like that out there. The troll lawyer could even be the very person you who has caused you to seek legal advice. Online existence grants us such a great deal of anonymity, there's really very little (if any) way to determine that the person giving you legal advice online is actually who they claim to be.
<LI><b>Your enemies can read it</b> - Newflash: everything you post online is public record. Forever. And can be accessed by anyone. You may not think this is the case, because after all your favorite online forum is password protected, right? Or you've got your facebook settings set up so that only your friends can see your posts, right? Even if that were true, and even if there weren't third party bots scouring every nook and cranny of the internet to store away your typed words, an attorney could simply subpoena your data, assuming the case needed it. Emails can be subpoenaed in some cases, as can private messages over facebook or forums. If an opposing lawyer is committed enough, anything you have typed will be discovered. Even deleted emails.
<LI><b>You're writing your confession</b> - Typically when someone is online looking for legal advice, they of course find it necessary to outline the problem they are trying to get advice on. After all, how are they going to get legal advice if they don't describe their problem? This is the equivalent of writing and signing your confession. Recall that not everyone understands the law properly. In fact, it's this very reason that you're looking for a lawyer, right? That being said, I promise you that one of the worst things you can possibly do is talk about the thing you've done (or that you've witnessed, were a part of, were thinking of doing, had done to you, etc) online. Because that will be used against you. My favorite one was the guy who said "Oh no, I just got a letter from comcast because they caught me downloading an episode of <some show> illegally. Should I torch my computer? Tell them to screw off? Just hope it blows over?" The person just admitted to committing a crime. On Facebook. If anyone took to pursuing legal action against this guy and it went to trial, they now have a documented confession of him saying he committed a crime AND he was soliciting friends for ways to avoid legal ramifications. See how much that sucks?
<LI><b>Client/Attorney Privilege</b> - One of the key pillars of the legal system is this. It means that your attorney can't be compelled to testify against you, nor is ANYTHING you tell him or her usable against you. They are under a sacred oath to keep everything you tell them a secret. For example, if a mass murderer went to his lawyer and said "just FYI, I did kill all those people. But I'll pay you whatever you want to keep me out of jail" the plaintiff could NOT make the defending lawyer disclose that conversation. As someone looking for legal help, you WANT THIS. You want a lawyer who will refuse to discuss your case and the details of it with anyone else. Ok, now let's take a minute to think this through. If one of the cornerstones of the American legal system is Client/Attorney privilege, (meaning that everything you discuss about your case is kept secret) why on earth would you think that discussing legal matters in a public forum, where anyone in the world can overhear you, is a good idea? Spoiler alert: it's not.
<LI><b>The law is not always obvious</b> - An interesting thing about the law is that it's not always obvious. Things that might make total sense to you, that would be intuitively obvious as "the law" are not always so. Yes, it might suck, and yes, it might seem unfair, but it is the way it is. It may seem TOTALLY obvious to you that someone has broken the law and they should be put in jail, but that doesn't mean that's how the law works. And I'm not even talking about it going to trial by jury. I mean that what you believe to be the truth about the written law may in fact not be the truth. If you believe that a particular law sucks or is unfair, one of the great things about America is that you have it within your power to set the wheels of change in motion and get that law you think so stupid changed. Call your congressman, call a senator, write a letter to the White House. Start a movement! Collect signatures, etc. I don't really have any examples to cite here, as any law I talk about may very well be different in your area. But the point is, though something might FEEL like it's against the law to you, or that it's a violation in some way, it may not be. The opposite is also true. Something that you think is totally legit might be illegal. And by discussing it online, you're committing it to the public record. Don't let your opinions or beliefs of the law, or the opinions of others, dictate your legal course of action. Because there's a chance you've got it wrong.
<LI><b>Legal Language is not easy to understand to a lay person</b> - I hear all the time that legal speak is confusing. That it's difficult to understand, and overly wordy. What's ironic is that the opposite is what is actually true. The reason legal writings seem so strange to those of us who speak English colloquially is because it's written in such a way as to eliminate as much ambiguity as possible. It's trying to make it so that the written word of the law is crystal clear to any trained practitioner of the law who is reading it. If you're trying to understand it yourself, you're on a fool's errand. Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming it IS unambiguous. I'm claiming that the reason legal speak is the way it is is so that ambiguity can be minimized. And this is another reason you need to hire someone who is a trained practitioner of the law: because they are going to have a better chance of understanding the written law than you might.
</UL>
That's about the long and the short of it. I personally think these are all pretty compelling reasons not to discuss your legal problems online, but instead to hire a lawyer. Not only are there a ton of things that can hurt you by discussing it online, but there's a reason that lawyers are not free.
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Thanks for reading! If you have any other items you think should be added to the list, please post them below. I'd also love to hear about any things you've seen online where someone is asking for legal advice. What kind of things did they ask for? Did they disclose information about their case which would be valuable to the other side? Do tell!
MattMunsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09751798053445159448noreply@blogger.com0