Sidkit Mal Gun Build Thread

[Darth Brass]

FNS: That looks fantastic.

Does the Plum Brown wear good, I know the Perma-Blue doesn't, it rubs right off the edges on this kit.


Has anyone posted a good picture of the real prop yet?

Would scans from the Visual Guides do?

 

[DavidS]

yes....

 

[Darth Brass]

Here's a couple from each book. Sorry about the smudgy ones - didn't want to jack up my books too badly. The caption on those two pictures also says that this is the hero gun "before it was fully weathered".

The other two are from random chapter heading pictures in both books.

Thanks to Pilot for the image hosting!

 

[DrMcoy]

Here's mine -- Blue Wonder finish topped with Birchwood Plum Brown and a dab of Rub-N-Buff Autumn Gold rubbed in here and there. I'm thinking of touching it up with Rub-N-Buff Antique Gold and then rubbing it down with some gun oil -- I do not have any gun oil, so I'll see if Wal-Mart has some. I did leave thumbscrews natural color (silver) and did not add plum brown to trigger guard or gun hilt, as this appeared to be more of a pewter color on actual prop.

I think this comes REALLY close to matching finish on TV pistol -- a darker, almost bronze/brown finish with golden highlights. I could make it a bit darker, which I may try...and I guess the oil will make it shinier, as the prop appeared in some episodes.

All in all, I hope the wooden grips project goes thru, cause that'll add a nice touch. I managed to dremel the phillipes wood grips to fit, but the screw hole doesn't match up and I don't wanna fuss with filling hole with solder and retapping -- not skilled in this nor do I have the proper tools - I suppose I could GLUE the wood grips on, but I'll just wait and see what the new wood grips look like and if they accept the current screw placement.

Thanks Wackychimp for hosting pics!

 

[Mechamaniac]

Awesome! Did you plum brown the whole thing, or just spots?

 

[DrMcoy]

Awesome! Did you plum brown the whole thing, or just spots?

I added plum brown to the entire gun except for trigger and hilt (and thumbscrews)

I did about 4 applications -- each made it a bit darker.

 

[Darth Brass]

NO SEAMS

If I remember correctly, you were trying to strengthen the trigger mechanism - were you able to do anything with that before (I'm assuming) soldering this all up? Is soldering the way you went? Anything special to know about this route?

 

[Boba Debt]

I haven't worked on the trigger mechanism yet.

Soldering the side panels does not inhibit their removal.

If I remember correctly, you were trying to strengthen the trigger mechanism - were you able to do anything with that before (I'm assuming) soldering this all up? Is soldering the way you went? Anything special to know about this route?

 

[Darth Brass]

I haven't worked on the trigger mechanism yet.

Soldering the side panels does not inhibit their removal.

I see now. For some reason I was assuming you'd soldering all the lines. I'm not really sure why I thought that.

Did you just use regular solder for the seams?

 

[Boba Debt]

You have a PM

The process is kind of difficult to explain in written words without going in to a huge write up with lots of pictures.

 

[Patattack]

Is that some kind of...ribbing that I see on the underside of the grip in the scan from the visual dictionary?

 

[DavidS]

according to the Companion, the marks you see on the inside of the grip frame are "witness marks" left by the waterjet that cut the frame out...
it says they were trying to make it in a hurry, so im assuming they didnt polish up that part well

 

[DavidS]

I have an idea im going to try with one of the magazines...
I bought some pretty freakin strong button magnets today and im thinking of mounting them inside the magazine and try to attach the other two inside the gun
all of this is just conjuncture now because the gun is still at the platers
which by the way, contacted me with some good news, they ARE going to try a few methods of browning it that wont eat away the plating... so we will just have to see...

 

[cheech9898]

I got my brass stock in today... I got a surprise with the brass rod. I thought I bought 2 pieces 1ft long... I must have clicked the wrong line and cause I got 2 pieces 6ft long & that matches the invoice... I got plenty to try and make replacement knurled thumb screws I think. I'll have to see what I can do on my Smithy.... If I scrap all this rod I just need to give up on machining I think, I've got this next weekend to play in the shop thou atleast to try to make a few mag's and thumb screws.

 

[DavidS]

let us know how it goes

 

[Kaylee]

Out of curiosity -

1. Am I correct in remembering that in the original hero prop, at least on the left hand side, that thumbscrew is attatched to a rod that runs down through the forward shroud to hold the rear shroud in place over the revolver cylinder?

2. If so - What are the chances that the hollowtube spaces on the forward shrouds were just that - some kind of brass tubing? Seems that'd have been easier to fabricate than drilling holes through brass castings, yes? Or am I guesstimating wrong there?


-K

 

[Darth Brass]

Out of curiosity -

1. Am I correct in remembering that in the original hero prop, at least on the left hand side, that thumbscrew is attatched to a rod that runs down through the forward shroud to hold the rear shroud in place over the revolver cylinder?

2. If so - What are the chances that the hollowtube spaces on the forward shrouds were just that - some kind of brass tubing? Seems that'd have been easier to fabricate than drilling holes through brass castings, yes? Or am I guesstimating wrong there?


-K

You're correct about the first part. I have no idea about the latter.

 

[Patattack]

Anyone figured out how to "beef up" the trigger assembly?

 

[Birdie]

For the guys that have used the plumb brown: how did you heat the parts?

The instructions say it should be hot enough to make a drop of water sizzle. That's gonna take a long time with a hair dryer :lol

 

[F-N-S]

For the guys that have used the plumb brown: how did you heat the parts?

The instructions say it should be hot enough to make a drop of water sizzle. That's gonna take a long time with a hair dryer :lol

I did not heat the gun at all. I just applied plum brown on the cold metal :love