Wan-Obi Jedi's Amateur Prop Workshop

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Stormtrooper Blaster

(Status: Project Underway)

Stormtrooper showing off his ROTJ blaster. The price and legal difficulties involved in getting a real sterling machine gun to build this blaster on always discouraged me from attempting this prop. However, I recently bought a resin kit which is intended to be built on a section of PVC plumbing pipe. The kit is not accurate enough for me in some areas (especially the grip) but its concept did inspire me to started my own hardware store project.

I am using the instructions that came with the kit and blueprints that I devised as a starting point but am also considering other builders ideas as this project is being discussed extensively on the prop board.

Walk through

Receiver

For a little instant gratification I first cut the main receiver of the blaster out of an 18" length of 1-1/4" insider diameter PVC tube. This can be easily worked using wood tools. I taped a template of the receiver to the pipe and drilled out the cooling holes. There are a lot of them and it is important to take your time to accurate drill these out for a good result. I have heard others complain that the PVC chipped easily whilst drilling, however, I had no problems after putting my bench drill on it's slowest setting. I didn't drill pilot holes either; I just attacked the tube with a standard 1/4" bit.

I drilled out the corners and ends of both the cocking slot and the ejection port. I then cut out the remainder using my rotary tool and then finished the cuts with a file. I also sanded the surface of the receiver to remove plastic burs resulting from drilling and cutting.

The kit did come with resin nozzle and end cap which I intend to utilize. I have cut the barrel from 1/2" diameter aluminum stock tubing.

Inner receiver and flash and ejector port details coming soon.

Grip

The grip on the kit I bought was way too small according to my calculations. I also didn't like the inaccurate piece the kit's designer had come up with to connect the grip to the receiver. I am, therefore, trying to sculpt my own grip. The center frame of the grip I cut from scrap plexi I bought from my local plastics store. I then sandwiched this between cardboard grips and slathered the whole thing in generous amounts on Bondo.

I have now to sand this down and then attached textured plastic to represent the grip's checkering.

Folded Stock

Using my blueprints I cut and bent the two main arms of the stock from aluminum strip.

Clip & Magazine Housing

Using a plastic "for sale" sign and my template I cut the parts for the mag housing (the template that came with the kit I felt was too small). I assembled the box with superglue and then filled and sanded the seams. I then wrapped a section of the PVC receiver tube in abrasive paper, mounted it in a vice and sanded the bottom of the mag housing on this until I had the correct radius curve for the mag housing to mount snugly on the receiver.

Details

Sites, scope mount and stock retention details coming soon.

Assembly

Coming soon.

Finishing

Coming soon.