Here is my proton gun build. I started out with a Hot Shot Draw kit. As soon as I got the kit I disassembled the thing completely, then did some surface prep work, then started to fit everything together and began glueing it all together. I used some Bondo glazing putty to fill in the surface imperfections and hide the seams. Here is what it started as:
Then after I did some work on I got to this point
And at the moment it looks like this. However this is just a very light coat of paint and needs more work. I plan to steel wool the paint and then hit it one more time with a light coat before I start to weather it.
Any suggestions at this point for a nice finish would be greatly appreciated.
OK, I think I got the links fixed. Sorry. I thought I had that figured out before. Here you go!
I have also set up a webshots account to host my pictures, and I have a photo gallery of my parts so far, and my progress on everything. Here is the link http://community.webshots.com/user/Copper51269
Well it looks as if you have the same kit i got…Yet i have no idea where to start or what to do being im clueless on building. I know im pathetic. Whats the best place to start on this project being it looks as if youve gotten a very good start. What tools and supplies do you say i buy to work on hotshots kits? Plus do u know how to use the stickers he sent? There just on paper and i dont know how to apply them?
I purchased a set of Stickers from Charles Walker and plan on using all those stickers for my gun. The stuff that Hot Shot sent is a sticker, you just have to peel the backing off. I’ve also thought of making a stencil and just painting this on, I’ve seen others use those rub on transfer letters and have very good results.
OK, so here is what I did. I got it all out of the box and then started to disassemble everything. I gave everything a skuf with some sandpaper to remove any chaf from the molds and clean up the surfaces for painting. I also got some Bondo Glazing putty to fill in any holes. While I was working on the gun the front cylinder came off. This was the one on the right where the front of the gun actually mounts to. The screws that Eric used were too short and didnt really purchase into that resin plug very well. I fixed that by using some expoy and cementing the entire assembly. Its on very good now. YOu have to experiment with things and see how they all fit together. Also you need to look at lots of pictures to give yourself an idea on how it all goes together. I drilled out the trigger box and gun body so that I could fit the switches in, and then glued all that stuff back together. I glued the side on again using an epoxy and let that set up. After it was all glued in, I used more bondo to hide the seams, and then sanded until I had a nice even surface. Then you need to clean your surface good before you think about throwing some paint on it, or you’ll get a crappy finish.
Now, this is sold as a KIT, but dont have any illusions that you’ll get a amazing gun from the stuff that came in the box. Some of the finishing stuff he sent is a little sub par. For example the transparent lenss in the bar graph the light caps were really just semi transparent pieces of plastic. Mine had lots of bubbles in them and didnt look that great. For now I am focused on the prime assembly. I’m still figuring this out as I go but sooner or later you have to start putting it together. I looked at mine for about two weeks before I actually got brave enough to start working on it. If you have any questions, just shoot me a PM and I’ll try to tell you how I solved whatever problem you might run into. Good Luck!
You sir, are one of the first people to “get” wht I’ve been trying to do all along. Offer a decent kit, that anyone can turn into exaclty what htey want it to be!! Well done!!
I’ll be following this thread, hoping to see it finished soon.
Here’s an answer to your questions.
Stickers: They are exactly that, stickers! Peel the backs of and apply. Once the kits done, apply you’re dull or semi-gloss clear coat to even them out (NOT ON THE FOIL ONES!!).
Subassemblies: If your educated about the basic makeup of your gun, you’ve got a good start. Once you’ve viewed references and photos, and done so carefully, you’ll be able to do the switches, lightcaps (i hate the bubbles too!, but they disappear when light’s behind them!), and little things like the knobs, nycoils, etc. without trouble.
Here are some of the latest images. I’ve been messing around with paint and for me I liked the flat black paint, and then hit it with a satin clear. I’m finally starting to get it put together to where it kind of looks like a Proton Gun now. I have some mock lighting in it so you can see how it will look.
Here is another image, slightly more complete
And now with some lighting
I still have a long way to go, but I’m getting closer every day. hopefully the images made it this time. Sorry, I dont do the attachments quite right.
Maybe it´s an optical illlusion, but looks to me like the tube that holds the acrilic tube is a litle bended… it doesn´t look straight to me… maybe it´s the angle of the shot. Also the small tube that holds the end of the green tubing looks a litle off. more or less the gun in the photo kind of looks like a ) curve
Other than that you are doing a good job so far. Is it sturdy and strong?
Its not an optical Illusion, the front end of the gun totally fell apart while I was working on it. Which was a good thing becasue I had the opportunity to fix it. I used some plastic epoxy to put it back on the front, and it must not have set perfectly true. It isnt that obvious when someone is holding it, but it sure stands out when you see it sitting on a flat surface. The problem now is that I cant take it off to fix it without doing major damage so I’ll have to live with it being off a couple of degrees. Overall the gun is turning out to be pretty rigid. Epoxy does wonders.
The other question was what am I using to attach stuff. So far I have used an epoxy that is expecially formulated for plastics. I got a tube of it at Wal-Mart for about $4.00 in the paint section. You need to mix it up a little bit at a time when you plan to glue something. I’ve made sure to clean the surface of paint before attempting to glue anything. A dremmel with a wire brush is excellent for this.
OK, as far as paint I tried a bunch of stuff. I tried a semi gloss, I tried a metal enamal (krylon) and I eventually settled on a flat black. Again a cheap paint from Wal-Mart. After I painted it flat I hit it with a very light coating of satin clear. I spent the night last night doing so dry brushing of the edges so that it looks like the paint is worn and weatherd. Its actually starting to look like the real thing now which has me excited. I’ll have some new photos for you this weekend.
My next major hurdle is going to be finding some grips. The ones that Hot Shot sent me were a foam grip coated with some type of rubber, and they SUCK. They are disentegrating, not really what you want on your proton gun. So I’m looking for suggestions and alternatives. I dont have the stuff to cast my own so I might try to make some out of a few blocks of wood or use a modified old school handlebar grip from a bike. If anyone has some suggestions for grips I would love to hear them!
OH, and then I’m going to have to figure out how in the hell to put the bottom of the gun on / Gun T rack and Dixie Hooks. Thats going to be a major challenge, because I dont want to drill into the gun box too much. The side walls are really not thick enough to be putting a screw into. But, I also want it to be temporary so that I can get inside to work on the lights and stuff. Again, any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
OK, if you are the hard working person that i believe you are, you can use Paranorman´s suggestion, which is go to the super market, buy one of this: http://www.ritzcamera.com/graphics/products/1-32/176131332.jpg put the liquid on your ecto movile, and then cut the grip looking side on the box, and gllue it to the tube on the gun.
If you are practical like i am, then just contact prop fan or funksilla or even loveusmokey, and buy it from them!!!
Talking about the curvature of the gun, inmediatly go to your drawer and pic GB1 and 2 dvds, put it on your dvd and fasforward to the hotel scene in GB1, whatch as Ray is standing outside the elevator whith the man that says “what are you some kind of a cosmonauth ???” look at his gun, is like yours, looks a litle bended maybe because he pressed it too much against the elevator wall´s set. Iven his ion knob is bended.
Then press eject and put the GB2 dvd, whatch in the court room scene, press pause when you see their equipment on the table marked as evidence, and watch the guns on the pack, they look like yours!!!
So all i can conclude afther analizing this is… hotshot made the packs for Gbs 1 and 2!! hahahaha.
OK, so this is pretty much the finished product minus a few minor details. I finally got my LED cliplite holders. (Thanks fo the board for helping me find the source) I need to find some grips as the ones HotShot sent me wont work. I’ve yet to fully mount all the electronics and lighting and I still need to attach the split loom and the dixie hooks, but here she is! My very first attempt at making the gun. Now, I have to determine if I want to keep it and use it, or sell it and try agan now that I’ve learned a few things. I know that I am a first timer, and I’ve got a lot to learn about prop making but I think it turned out pretty good. I’d love to hear your comments.
im going to post pics of my kit after im done posting this. i think your turned up wonderfully! looks amazing! Like i said before if u could lend your expertise on how u salvaged hot shots kits it would be greatly appreciated. If my kit turns out anything like yours…then it will be a sucess!
