My all-steel Mjolnir build (from Thor: The Dark World)

Dope

Dope

Active Member
I'm a few weekends of work into the project, I've just completed the end caps of the hammer. This is solid 1" plate steel that I cut out and then electro-etched after numerous test attempts.

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I am making the body of the hammer hollow, out of 1/4" plate steel. I have cut out the pieces, maybe next weekend I can post the tacked-together head.

Dope
 
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I'd be super interested in hearing more about the etching technique that allowed you to get runes like that on there. Looks exceptional.
 
Ein said:
I'd be super interested in hearing more about the etching technique that allowed you to get runes like that on there. Looks exceptional.
Click to expand...

I used custom vinyl decals (designed in Photoshop) to mask off the areas NOT to be etched. It looked like this just before I started the etching:

FUifMnI.jpg


Many, many hours of design work and testing. In the end the etch ended up a little shallow, my test pieces were much deeper but I think this is due to my test pieces being a much thinner steel than the 1" plate I used in the final product. It's still good enough but look how good the test versions came out (the comparison hammer is a Lager Toys Mjolnir):

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This was about 1/32" of etching which is nice and deep and sharp. Alas, not a big deal since I'm mainly glad that I didn't ruin anything as it took me many hours of work to cut out the steel in the first place. Trying to remotely accurately cut steel that thick with rudimentary tools is not fun.

Dope
 
Electro-etching with simple salt-water is an excellent way to add detail and heaps of fun! So simple! Cup of salt water, a bit of cotton rag and a 12V power supply.

I use nail-polish to mask off what I don't want etched on my knife blades. I've also used enamel paint from model aircraft. Works just as well, but takes a bit longer to dry.

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EKF5 said:
The hammer looks great. I'll be checking back on this for progress.

Following up on Ein's question. Cool approach on the etching for both of you. My only posted project http://therpf.com/showthread.php?t=220163 (TARDIS Key - Non Canon), is a small etching project with a third masking technique. I found useful information at http://steampunkworkshop.com/electroetch.shtml/ and at http://mistyridgedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/08/eureka-i-figured-it-out-tutorial-for.html.
Click to expand...

Nice work on your key and thanks for the guides. Honestly I have no idea what I'm doing, I've seen a lot of differing advice on electro-etching so it ended up being a ton of trial and error. I may try the toner thing at some point, certainly would be a lot cheaper than the vinyl decals I've been using.

Dope
 
Thank you. I'm glad you liked the key.

As I wrote in my build I tried the toner approach. I found the paper and the iron (ok the heat it can supply) really make a difference. I got some transfer, but not enough to feel comfortable that the pattern would be a solid mask. Between that and not having a laser printer at home for repeated tests to get a good transfer I went with the photoresist approach. Sandbagger's approach, making a stencil (I assume - if that was freehand, WOW) and then painting the surface with nail polish looks really effective. Depending on the detail that may be a very simple approach for designs like the one you put on the hammer.
 
Not a ton of progress this weekend, cut most of the pieces needed for the body of the hammer. Had to do a lot of jigging to get everything lined up and spaced and positioned properly for welding:

opVf3ow.jpg


(in this shot above you can see the 1" hole through the top and bottom pieces that the handle will pass through)

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This is where I'm at now, I'm working on the little corner strips (this is a mockup of the first corner to see if it fits):

9Iyggqd.jpg


Gonna be around two more months before this is done I'm guessing.

Dope
 
This weekend's update.


I've got all 11 pieces of the hammer body tacked together now and all the etchings done for it as well:

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Etched top rune came out allllmost perfect:

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Plus the main part of the handle, including the ring that goes between it and the hammer body and drilled/tapped the end of it for the eventual pommel addition:

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Dope
 
I'm not sure, probably around $2000 USD. I have close to $1000 in materials/consumables into it, it has been a trying project for sure. Even at that price I'd probably only end up making roughly $10/hr which is below minimum wage. I couldn't actually find anyone who has made this themselves so I basically had to invent my own methods and artwork and such. Oh well, we'll see! Worst case I'll have a sweet display piece in my house :)

Dope
 
Yes it's the price for a real craft piece of this quality ! But i am sorry i have not this kind of budget (maybe if i sell my Delorean ?.................:D)
 
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