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Author Topic: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)  (Read 17186 times)

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Offline erv

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E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« on: November 22, 2010, 11:18:18 PM »
I though I'll post it here too  :)

I wanted to make a E-11 for a long time, my customer Pablo  and his scratch built did put the scale UP.

I considered screen accurate for a while, but I decided later to go for a custom E-11 since I wanted to add a screen to the blaster, hence non canon (I hope I'm not hurting any feelings).

Rather than scratch built (very tempted to follow that path though), I chose real sterling parts.

Here is the build log with many pics, I though that might interest some of you.

SHORT CUT : here's the video :-)

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_li[/youtube]st?p=1808399F6878FC16"]E-11 model X Custom Blaster - 3 videos[/size][/color]

The sterling came in chopped pieces which is the short "cut" ( ;) ) to disable it. Sure, it won't *ever* work again this way...

The  first part of the exercise is to extract all the bits and parts then  clean/Shave them and re install them on the main body that will be  scratch built. The rest I hope to have as many vintage parts as possible  on that blaster. The scope is missing but it is on my way as I'm typing this.



cutting the read sight and the removable butt cap





Building the main body. The PVC BBC templates are for a 42mm OD tube  matching some plumbing supplies. The real sterling is made out of a  1"1/2 OD tube. I managed to find the right diameter and correct wall  too, on ebay.co.uk, tubes being sold as coolant pipes. Made of sturdy  6063 T6 aluminium from what I remember.

The  downsizing of the templates are an exact 10%. I shrunk only the width  to match the perimeter, holes are oval but since I know what the size is  supposed to be (7/16" and a few of 1/2"), so I just needed the alignment  and spacing, aside the front stock lock groove that was measured on the  original part and cut accordingly.




I'm so happy I have those stepped drill bits. (In inches :thumbsup)


Many centers and drills later...


Cutting the long groove


Done. Jump for joy. Cool yourself down. And wash your dirty hands you dirty boy.


Some  sanding to clean the outside. I used a file to clean the sharp metal  edges inside, then cleaned the wall of each hole with a sharp knife,  then finally put some sand paper on a piece of blade to get a nice  finish inside.
Then, some threaded rod and a piece of aluminium  matching the ID, with sand paper taped on it => drilling machine  => clean shave of the inside of the tube.


I was impressed to see that the bolt is perfectly fitting in that tube !


Offline erv

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2010, 11:19:44 PM »
Shaving various parts. Tedious. Don't know what God modeled after him  but he had some smart enlightenment when he got B&D inventing the electric file.  Let there be steel powder. This is the front flash deflector


Measuring  the eject port. Since my templates were shrunk of 10%, I rubbed some  grunge on a piece of paper to "measure" the original one. Yes, I also  used a digital caliper too :unsure


Extracting the stock mount. Fortunately the pins are coming out easily. Easier than removing those **** on a MR saber  :hate


Shaving time again. Sorry no Gilette cream. Sorry about the heat. But admit it you look much nicer now.



fitting like husband and wife (which is never perfect as you know)


Rear  sight. I'm cheating on that one, I'll leave a superficial layer of the  original body tube to have a large flat surface for the JB weld to stick  on (+ a headless screw or 2, or simply JBweld rivets). No one will  notice a 2/10th mm difference in the part height.



The  handle and trigger group holder. Same as above. Some is cut out but I  leave some surface for the attachment. No point of having that section  fragile.


Cleaning the muzzle. I got a HARD time extracting it. Then I machined it. Fits the barrel like a charm (supposed to).



What I have to re install


The  butt will be coupled to the main body by just machining both parts (reducing a little bit the body OD on a 1" sleeve, and increasing a bit the ID of the rear ring, then JBweld)invisible. Electronics will remain  accessible from the rear.

I've identified how I'll handle the  blast and the semi/full auto mode, using the the REAL SELECTOR and  trigger. Very easy. More detail on that later. I also have some glams  idea.

Offline erv

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2010, 11:23:41 PM »
the kit I got was chopped this way


Even getting alu tubes in the UK shipped to me wasn't that easy, since it's heavy and not all vendors will accept to ship across the channel :unsure Also, with the humble machining tools I have, alu remained the easiest solution.

here's some more of the build log. I wanted to have the blaster Powder Coated cause I like props you can hang around with, without the fear of paint chipping and so forth.

2 stressful days cause I was SO afraid to miss the PC job.  I first went to buy some oxalic acid (you guys call that Naval  Jelly, rust dissolver) to prep things nicely. I also baked the folding  stock and the main body since I noticed it helped neutralizing the rest  of paints, oil and so forth.
Baking also gave the final kick to the steel epoxy on the main body, which stabilized and didn't melt at all.

Then  I cleaned with water, then with biodegradable degreaser, and wiped  properly, then compressed air to blow away any trace of moisture.

I resisted to the envy to re coat the folding stock (an area isn't thick enough) but I didn't. Too risky.

First,  I remembered about the faraday effect during the PC job, and I was worried about not  having the inside of the barrel dark enough. So I protected the beast  and PCed the inside with a light mist of flat black (then I hadn't made  more experiments with the satin black I had and I didn't want to ruin  anything).


then after experimenting the right flow out time and temp on a scrap part,
I  played again with the satin black on the trigger and its guard. I  learned there how to (almost) fully disassemble a trigger group, which  helped for cleaning it from all the grease.


PCing the folding stock. First stress of the day


final results once I've baked all the parts (the oven heated the whole afternoon, I couldn't stop). I also made my scope rail.


Still a light texture but that's exactly what I wanted


You  can see the difference in the texture of the butt cap. It's not just  due to the primer coat of flat black, the surface of the metal was  different.


Stock locks (and 2 smoking barrels  :lol)  





the shorten magazine


with  a nice decorative inserts (SO-dim 1GB... well that's only 512 MB now :rolleyes -  They didn't want it back at work after I upgraded on my previous  machine)



Getting close. Received my uber accurate T-tracks from Gino  yesterday. Strong ABS extruded plastic with the right gaussian profile.  

Grinding  the bolt. Why ? because it's hiding something (see below). Taking a  picture while actually grinding isn't easy when you have only 2 hands  and no tripod and when you're tired to make efforts... (I know, use the  Force to levitate the camera)


wiring  the satellite board on the barrel. After checking between having it  right next to the Blaster Core board or here, it was easier like that,  less wires and an easy power supply split for the barrel end flash RGB  led. The latter has its power xtender and resistors all local, and  protected with heatshrink. Once glued, the LEDs were covered with some  masking liquid (latex from what I smell... brand is Maskol by Humbrol),  then I painted the whole barrel with some regular satin paint. It's  weird to work again with spray paint once you've done some powder  coating. Takes ages to dry (impatient me), chips and marks easily buy since it's going INSIDE the body of the E11 so I don't mind.




A  big part. A crystal chamber. I wanted to have (among other things) some  glams for that projects. Also, the bolt is visually such a nice piece  of mechanics that I refused to do a static thing with it, with a piece  of chrome tape. So you can still xxx the bolt and it moves back to  reveal some (simple) internals. I mounted an aqua aura crystal on a  small ring/mount JBwelded to the bolt and it goes straight in the  barrel.
The internals were assembled on a thin copper plate (polished  a bit), the thin comb of brass/gold is an old SD card reader that came  with my previous laptop, as well as the control card (sanded, and  glued). You can also spot 2 anakin brass pins, a weirdly shaped coil  from a hard drive and a few other bits I had in my drawers.







Once  everything was installed, I placed a small headless screw behind the  handle to stop the bolt from going back too far (and smashing the wires  going in the handle, to the trigger group). It's not moving back a lot,  but it's enough to reveal the internals. No led there and no reason  you'll have any, getting the bolt back disables the weapon. Initially, I  was supposed to use the bolt as a range selector / unjamming operation  but I didn't have the right spot to place the sensor/switch and I  consider the bolt and wires just behind it too fragile for using that on  a standard base.





Installing  the electronics in the back. It's one of the most difficult wiring job I  ever had to do (my yoda saber retrofit was easy in comparison). Not only  there are a LOT of wires but they have to extend to allow servicing the  board if need and they have to fold properly when the chassis (PVC) is  inserted in the body of the sterling. Add then that you have the  functional spring and the bolt that still have to move freely without  smashing the wires.
Also, fourteen (14 !) wires are going to the  henglser counter. Holy cow. I used some of my 30 AWG ribbon cable.  It's a solid wire in there (no strand) but that was my only choice.





The  trigger group. No limit switches, but Hall effect sensors and small  neodymium magnets (3mm OD) and secured with activated (spray)  cyanoacrylate glue. They act as a switch when the magnet is close  enough. Inside, it's actually an open drain MOSFET transistor, just like  a power xtender board.
The only switch I used is for the AUX switch  (range / reload). I'm going to cut the screw that secure the trigger  group to the handle and body and the rounded end (the one not having the  screw driver slot) will be attached to the switch plunger (removable).  On the other side of the handle, where you read the "Free / Lock", the  other half of the screw will go on a M3 head less screw that installed  on a small bolt then glued on the back of the aux switch with some  JBweld. Original Look will be preserved.



more to come, I've taken about 110 pics during that build log  :o
« Last Edit: November 23, 2010, 04:31:41 AM by erv »

Offline erv

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2010, 11:27:38 PM »
thanks a lot !
For the crystal, it's made out of real quartz (aqua aura), I thought it could be the collimating element for the plasma, crystals evocate optical / light stuff.
At the end it's kind of coherent with the wookiepedia article

Blaster - Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki


Testing the trigger group before final install in the handle. You  can spot the aux. switch in the axis of the locking screw that is going  to be parted in 2 halves.


the half that will go on the back of the aux. switch (I installed a small M3 screw there)


installed and it screws fine to the "lock" position as read on the handle


The other half of the screw, mounted & screwed on the switch cap/plunger.



I  used some anti mosquito mesh / lattice that I powder coated with black  chrome II. Then I glued some black fabric tape with a glue spray to hide  the electronics. I looks a bit like a carbon mesh (not exactly, just  the "style"). I like it very much.



Worked on the T-track I got from Gino. Bent with a lighter,  smoothed with gentle heat and finger, then sanded at the ends. Painted  flat black with automotive paint, glued with a few  spots of epoxy, except the top one since it blocks the scope rail from  being removed and I still need to install the scope (it's mounted with magnets so that it's easily removable)




Folding stock installed. Replaced the nails by 2 stainless steel M2  screws. Not sure I'll paint them black, I like the steel accents.


Reworking  the firmware. I had ideas that were not ready for that release, but I  wanted to prototype some of them for my E11. Hence, I made sure I had a  flashing connector accessible from the rear of the blaster.


Milled a slot in the henglser counter. Why ? because there's something else requiring potentially some upgrade too.


                   ... A mini screen...  The side of the  counter has some dirty edges. That's due to the PC job I ****ed up with  the Eastwood powder. Not having the right stripper made my like VERY  difficult on that one. I thought I had removed everything but no (of  course). Not "ugly" but could be better. Too late :ohwell
Boot sequence featuring a imperial logo being filled up. I shortened the boot sound of 20%-ish to get it perfectly synched with the boot animation.


Custom title of that one, the "E-11-X"


Front  side of the counter. I kept the optic it makes the 3mm leds occupying  the whole space and they look a bit oval, I like it. The reset button of  the counter is now the menu switch to browse thru the different screen  of blaster core.


Radar screen and ammo counter



Screen  saver. It's blurrier than a normal screen due to  the  export of the video, but it looks better in person

                
                
I added 3 new "menus" to the firmware.
My counter wasn't the "right  one" with the Eagle Logo, reason why I had no remorse cutting a window  for the screen. However, I felt nostalgic about it so I mocked up a  digital version.


Another screen with a static imperial logo (always efficient and iconographic)


Last  screen, a system info displaying the charge and voltage of the battery  (the config file has 2 PLI settings for that purpose). I also had fun  with some extra verbiage on that one.
The  cell/battery icon on the left isn't depleted in real time to avoid  flickering on the sprite but it's updated each time you pass in the menu. The voltage  and the charge % is updated in real time though, and you see it  fluctuating a bit when you fire.


I  did my best for the details. Wires (ribbon cable) going to the counter  are hiden in a black mesh tubbing. Quite organic, my favorite. I also  put some of the anti mosquito mesh to hide a bit the second speaker that  is in there.


Same  on the front of the counter. I also put a screw head and a small  crystal to hide the hole left by the removal of the reset mechanism of  the counter.


Offline erv

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2010, 11:31:09 PM »
The wires coming out from the counter will be really used. I've always  thought that the magazine cylinders should be some kind of smart  targeting system (obviously not "finished" since the blasters end beaten  by the sabers). Since it's the E-11-X I could invent anything after  all.
I'm therefore installing 2 red lasers in the mag cylinders. They  are controlled by the rear sight mechanism. I got that idea from the  very beginning and that's why I wanted to make THIS very model of  blaster : wire from counter to mag cylinders and scope rail stopping  BEFORE the sight.

Like here


To  avoid any switch between the outside of the main body and the internal  electronics, I used (again) a hall effect sensor, installed in the PVC  chassis. 2 magnets inline are installed in the scope reticule that  activates the lasers in the "accurate aiming" position of the sight.



Mag cylinders ! Thumbs up for Russrep (RPF) accurate pictures, I did my best to get a scale out of them, but credits go to his work.



aligning  the lasers took a while, even now it's not perfect but since the  magazine catch isn't laying flat on the weapon itself, the targeting  sensor laser beams are never aligned. I like it too, it's just point at 2  different location of the target.




Now we know pretty much the parts (but not the source device - read here my recent "research" as Private Erv' http://www.therpf.com/f9/sterling-mag-cylinder-mystery-20345/)

but  still, I couldn't find any suitable replicas of the central capacitors  in my drawers. The original ones are rated for 70° and won't have  withstood PC curing at 400°F so no regrets, I machined cylinders that  look like them pretty close.

I happened to play with the PBTP  satin and *when cured at the right temp* it's definitely more gloss than  the eastwood PC. Flow is just perfect. However it wasn't matching the  gloss of the rest of the blaster so I used a coat of an automotive paint  that has very little gloss (same as on the T-Track). I left the front  cap and nut natural, I like contrasting metal and it really marks the  "special X model" of the blaster







The stand. I got the smoked  plates for free. I discovered later that it's polycarbonate, 1 cm thick,  I got many panels it's worth a fortune. Attached 2 pieces together and  made the stand with it. PCed legs with accent rings (quick cut with the  lathe).
I still have to make a galv-etched plate now that I have the resist photo film





and finally,
video time. Sorry for the length, I really think I had to detail that one.

E-11 model X Custom Blaster - 3 videos

Offline RedArc

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2010, 12:11:18 AM »
WOW awesome building thread  :o so much details

This is the best E-11 , with the most features , of the world right now ! Blaster Core at its best  ;)

and the crystal chamber .... great idea ! like all other specials you added .

I´m curious about it what you will do with the Racprops kit  ::)


PS.: Where you take your time for such an huge project ? do you have cloned yourself ?  :D

« Last Edit: November 23, 2010, 12:17:09 AM by RedArc »



Offline cannibal869

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2010, 12:39:54 AM »
holy bantha poop!

Erv, that is just amazing work!
Congrats on a really nice prop there!

Offline erv

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2010, 12:58:48 AM »
thanks,
well, for the time, it's been VERY hard to combine everything. Getting up at 5:30 AM as often as possible is part of the "secret".

Offline enaswede

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2010, 01:19:36 AM »
Simply Incredible!!!  :o

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."  ;D

What type of scope are you putting on it? M40 or M19?
« Last Edit: November 23, 2010, 01:22:19 AM by enaswede »

"When I left you, I was but the learner; now I am the master!"
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Offline erv

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2010, 01:38:01 AM »
M38 A2. No usual, but since it's a custom...

Offline Luke S.

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #10 on: November 23, 2010, 03:17:42 AM »
Glad to see you found a scope Erv.  This was an awesome build and a great inspiration.  I can't wait to finally be done with my house so I can get working on mine.  I have had all the parts sitting in my shop far too long.

I'm loving the screen you hooked up to BC.  I was going to avoid it but you have now tempted me once again.  :D

Offline erv

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #11 on: November 23, 2010, 04:12:24 AM »
I can't wait to finally be done with my house ...

echo charlie bravo over (QFT). Never ending  :'(

Offline daddy solo

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #12 on: November 23, 2010, 04:22:02 AM »
simply unbelievable. Awesome build!!

Offline Juansith

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #13 on: November 23, 2010, 06:12:55 AM »
Amazing, hats off to you  :o




Offline Sunrider

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Re: E-11 model "x" - A BlasTech Case Study (pics intensive)
« Reply #14 on: November 23, 2010, 11:24:03 AM »
WOW That thing has more features than Boba has buttons. Epic build. Trying to find my jaw its around here somewhere.  :o :o :o :o

 

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