The Expanse: Props & Found Parts

[RandomMaker]

I just need to change the LED colour on a couple of these to yellow and then make the blue LED side grip for the Earth Hand Terminal.

Those look really nice! Great work on the shapes and borders.

I have a friend who has made some laser-cut acrylic pieces for me, and I've been 3D printing the bases and inserting the cheap slap bracelet LED units on them. The set I bought came with multiple colors. My printer is an FDM type so getting clear bases was a tricky process. I still have horizontal lines on my prints, but then I noticed that at least one of the actual show props did too, so I'm not going to worry about it too much, and that will save me having to buy a resin printer.

 

[RandomMaker]

For the Martian Pistol Tac light, here is a knock off on sale with a 15% off coupon for $33 on Amazon

Amazon.com

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View attachment 1542790​

As a 2-year update on this post, the original laser/light model seems to be not made any longer, but the knockoff model posted above is still available from Amazon, and it's perfect for a prop pistol. The price is down to 20 bucks, and I can confirm that they fit on the mounting point on the original WE X Airsoft pistol... My thanks to the OPs for the very useful info!

 

[renaissance_man]

Those look really nice! Great work on the shapes and borders.

I have a friend who has made some laser-cut acrylic pieces for me, and I've been 3D printing the bases and inserting the cheap slap bracelet LED units on them. The set I bought came with multiple colors. My printer is an FDM type so getting clear bases was a tricky process. I still have horizontal lines on my prints, but then I noticed that at least one of the actual show props did too, so I'm not going to worry about it too much, and that will save me having to buy a resin printer.

Thank you. The recent Prop store auction really helped with excellent reference photos and measurements.
I have had a couple of hand terminal parts clear printed before with the print lines which as you said matches the original props. The ones I had printed recently and shown in that photo I just posted, the guy who printed them for me did so with virtually no print lines it almost looks like it was clear cast in resin rather than printed, he did an amazing job.

Here's a close photo of one of the parts.
There are a couple of scuff marks inside where the acrylic has slid in and out but the print itself is great.

 

[RandomMaker]

Thank you. The recent Prop store auction really helped with excellent reference photos and measurements.
I have had a couple of hand terminal parts clear printed before with the print lines which as you said matches the original props. The ones I had printed recently and shown in that photo I just posted, the guy who printed them for me did so with virtually no print lines it almost looks like it was clear cast in resin rather than printed, he did an amazing job.

Here's a close photo of one of the parts.
There are a couple of scuff marks inside where the acrylic has slid in and out but the print itself is great.
View attachment 1846699

That base turned out really nice. Mine still has the vertical lines I'd like to get rid of, but otherwise will live with. They show up very clearly in the image below.

Here's the current state of my latest hand terminal. I'm still working on refining things.

 

[PicasoX]

That base turned out really nice. Mine still has the vertical lines I'd like to get rid of, but otherwise will live with. They show up very clearly in the image below.

Here's the current state of my latest hand terminal. I'm still working on refining things.
View attachment 1846851

cool are these for sale?

 

[PicasoX]

As a 2-year update on this post, the original laser/light model seems to be not made any longer, but the knockoff model posted above is still available from Amazon, and it's perfect for a prop pistol. The price is down to 20 bucks, and I can confirm that they fit on the mounting point on the original WE X Airsoft pistol... My thanks to the OPs for the very useful info!

confirmed, fits great, next to my unfinished Helix

 

[renaissance_man]

cool are these for sale?

I haven't have planned on selling any but I could probably have a couple more made.

 

[RandomMaker]

I haven't have planned on selling any but I could probably have a couple more made.

Similarly, the version I have I buy the acrylic piece from a vendor friend, then 3D print the base from polycarbonate and then add the LED and battery assembly. I don't have any interest in selling the base and anyone can make them, but I'd probably be willing to print one for someone that wants one to go with the acrylic piece I used. I can also supply contact info for the acrylic maker via Etsy... But it might be simpler just to go with renaissance_man.

 

[RandomMaker]

confirmed, fits great, next to my unfinished Helix View attachment 1847144

Those both look good! Very nice job with the MCRN pistol. I'm on my second version of that one, based off of the Airsoft, where my first version was mainly 3D-printed. For your's, is the top rear tube 3D printed? I'm going to use aluminum or stainless steel for mine, but unfortunately I don't have a lathe to add the grooves and rear bevel to it. I'd love to be able to find a rent-a-Maker with a lathe...

Also for the Glock, are those add-on parts 3D-printed or did you get some of the molded pieces that I saw were on here several years back?

- Dave

 

[PicasoX]

The MCRN back tube is printed, the two fonts ones are stainless steel drinking straws I cut to fit. I had a chance to get in on a full milled aluminum barrel but it would have been $180 plus shipping. The Helix parts are 3d printed, 8K resin, Joatrash made them for me, so you can bet they are accurate. I haven't decided if I want to keep the original rear sights, they look really nice with the fiber optic lumes but its not accurate.

 

[RandomMaker]

I get the impression that the original Star Helix gun(s) didn't have that rear sight extension piece on the top doodad, so that might be a good excuse to leave the original rear sight in place. The fiber optic does look pretty cool when illuminated... The later versions of these pistols, like the Drummer version, seem to have the extension and the original rear sight removed. That's my non-confirmed, non-expert perception anyway.

 

[RandomMaker]

(duplicate, edit issue)

 

[eethan]

Hey there, managed to find one of those in France will be working on the metal conversion parts in the next few days

 

[RandomMaker]

Hey there, managed to find one of those in France will be working on the metal conversion parts in the next few days

Looks good! Just a heads-up, the sights don't drift out like they do on a real pistol. Ask me how I found out...

Looking forward to quality conversion parts.

 

[FPLeatherCo]

Hey all, apologies for the Thread Necromancy, but I wanted to add some bits to it for posterity and for folks like myself that still run across it and can use the information here.

First, I want to add a link to the Propstore final Expanse auction for it's detail photos and some good info: https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/412

Second, I won Lot # 224: The Expanse (2015-2022): Amos Burton's (Wes Chatham) Season 5 Jumpsuit with Earth Costume Components https://propstoreauction.com/lot-details/index/catalog/412/lot/132084?url=/auctions/catalog/id/412?page=2&view=grid&catm=any&order=order_num&xclosed=no&featured=no&key=amos

If anyone has any questions I can answer about that lot, just ping me. I didn't see a label inside the coveralls which appear to be a cotton canvas, so I suspect that these were hand-made by the costume dept. Amos's grey Rocinante jacket from that same lot is tagged, and it's an Acrteryx Gamma MX Hoody Men's, size Large.

I also bought an MCRN small ammo can for "12mm Caseless" ammo from an eBay prop seller, detailed photos attached. It appears to be an older black Plano Field Box. Amazon has the current model here Amazon.com although the latching is a little different. If you want the exact latch (with brass clip) is still sold as part of other Plano field boxes on Amazon and I can confirm that you can swap the parts. On the prop, the brass latch was removed and the lid has been super-glued in place.

Good to be here. I've never been a hardcore prop replicator before, but I've made my own sci-fi props here and there over the last 40 years, and I definitely put myself in the "Maker" category. Now I'm busy replicating the MCRN pistol (twice over) and other Expanse props as I still love the show. Thanks to all who posted great info here, some of it almost a decade ago now.

Nice! I've got a Gamma MX in medium for my Holden getup. Did they remove the Arctreyx logo from the front or just cover it with the name tag.

I'd be interested to see some close pics of that tag and the rear text details they added. Is it just stuck on?

 

[RandomMaker]

Nice! I've got a Gamma MX in medium for my Holden getup. Did they remove the Arctreyx logo from the front or just cover it with the name tag.

I'd be interested to see some close pics of that tag and the rear text details they added. Is it just stuck on?

I'd not be surprised if the original Holden jackets were size M. I thought about bidding on a Holden jumpsuit but I realized that Wes Chatham and I about the same size, if you ignore his big sculpted muscles and all. IIRC Steven Strait was a bit taller and had a thinner build than me.

I checked the jacket. I couldn't detect the usual Arcteryx logo under the BURTON name decal, but there might be one, if it's just printed and not embroidered, for example... I have an unrelated old Arcteryx hoodie top that I got probably back around 2014, and the logo is on the upper left sleeve instead of over the left breast. The Amos hoodie doesn't have a logo there either.

I'm not sure what you mean with "the rear text details they added" unless you are talking about the handwritten names etc. they often wrote inside clothing/costumes, but there's none of that as far as I have seen looking through my stuff.

A photo of the BURTON decal is attached, along with a closeup that shows where it's peeling up a bit from the back where it folds around, unseen... I noticed that some of the other similar Propstore auction items had even more peeling of the decals.

Let me know if I can help with anything else!

 

[FPLeatherCo]

I'd not be surprised if the original Holden jackets were size M. I thought about bidding on a Holden jumpsuit but I realized that Wes Chatham and I about the same size, if you ignore his big sculpted muscles and all. IIRC Steven Strait was a bit taller and had a thinner build than me.

I checked the jacket. I couldn't detect the usual Arcteryx logo under the BURTON name decal, but there might be one, if it's just printed and not embroidered, for example... I have an unrelated old Arcteryx hoodie top that I got probably back around 2014, and the logo is on the upper left sleeve instead of over the left breast. The Amos hoodie doesn't have a logo there either.

I'm not sure what you mean with "the rear text details they added" unless you are talking about the handwritten names etc. they often wrote inside clothing/costumes, but there's none of that as far as I have seen looking through my stuff.

A photo of the BURTON decal is attached, along with a closeup that shows where it's peeling up a bit from the back where it folds around, unseen... I noticed that some of the other similar Propstore auction items had even more peeling of the decals.

Let me know if I can help with anything else!

Thank you! So they really just taped it on - that's good to know. Yours doesn't have the "Rocinante" on the back?

I can see why Wes needed the L. I'm just about his height and my Med. is starting to get a bit tight in the chest/arms even without the big Amos muscles.

 

[RandomMaker]

Thank you! So they really just taped it on - that's good to know. Yours doesn't have the "Rocinante" on the back?

I can see why Wes needed the L. I'm just about his height and my Med. is starting to get a bit tight in the chest/arms even without the big Amos muscles.

Ah yes, that makes sense! It does say Rocinante on the back. Did you want a photo of that too? Also a similar kind of sticker, if memory serves.

I was lucky enough to Meet Wes & Steven at SiliCon & get my photo with each of them. When the auction came up, I started wondering about their sizes, then remembered I could dig up the images with them and make a guess. That worked out pretty well. The Tourmaster "mag boots" are a different story...

Arcteryx tends to fit pretty snugly, although it also can vary pretty widely in my experience. I used to work at REI so I saw and sold a lot of their stuff back then. The hoodie I mentioned before is a size M and other than being cut more snug for the style, it fits me basically the same as the L Gamma MX, while a L goretex jacket they made was way too snug in the shoulders for me... Go figure.

 

[FPLeatherCo]

Ah yes, that makes sense! It does say Rocinante on the back. Did you want a photo of that too? Also a similar kind of sticker, if memory serves.

I was lucky enough to Meet Wes & Steven at SiliCon & get my photo with each of them. When the auction came up, I started wondering about their sizes, then remembered I could dig up the images with them and make a guess. That worked out pretty well. The Tourmaster "mag boots" are a different story...

Arcteryx tends to fit pretty snugly, although it also can vary pretty widely in my experience. I used to work at REI so I saw and sold a lot of their stuff back then. The hoodie I mentioned before is a size M and other than being cut more snug for the style, it fits me basically the same as the L Gamma MX, while a L goretex jacket they made was way too snug in the shoulders for me... Go figure.

Was at the REI flagship store in Seattle last week randomly. But I also have the Gamma MX pants that Holden wears in Medium and those are quite spacious.

I've been down some deep dives into those mag boots and while a lot of the supporting cast had the Tourmaster boots, the Roci Crew and some of the other leads all use something different for the boots. The soles and the shapes of the leather components are completely different.

I'd love to see inside those "hero" boots and see what they are based on or if they're completely custom. I scoured the Propstore listings and couldn't find any interior pics that show anything definitive. Additionally, it looks like a lot of the costumes they had up for auction did not have matching boots. It's like they just threw a random pair of boots with each costume and sometimes the boots themselves didn't even match each other.

 

[RandomMaker]

Was at the REI flagship store in Seattle last week randomly. But I also have the Gamma MX pants that Holden wears in Medium and those are quite spacious.

I've been down some deep dives into those mag boots and while a lot of the supporting cast had the Tourmaster boots, the Roci Crew and some of the other leads all use something different for the boots. The soles and the shapes of the leather components are completely different.

I'd love to see inside those "hero" boots and see what they are based on or if they're completely custom. I scoured the Propstore listings and couldn't find any interior pics that show anything definitive. Additionally, it looks like a lot of the costumes they had up for auction did not have matching boots. It's like they just threw a random pair of boots with each costume and sometimes the boots themselves didn't even match each other.

We called the Seattle store & hq "the mothership."

Interesting that the crew had different boots... I guess I'll have to pay more attention to the boots on show.

I also had the same impression with the boots seemingly being randomly matched to outfits in the Propstore auction. Propabilia is also selling a couple of pairs of stand-alone boots, I think they are also Tourmasters from what I remember. Tourmaster does make a whole range of motorcycle boots (and their sizes seem to run small), and there are a lot of relatively similar styles out there.

With the rear flap on the boots, it was nice to have that Adam Savage video where we get a better look at them. I wonder how they are attached to the original boot, perhaps with leather glue or something. It seems unlikely that they would attempt to sew them on if they could avoid it as that would be a hell of a job.