My Ruffintoys Gaunlets Build.

TheZeroEffect

Active Hunter
I had always intended to post my Gaunt build but never really got round to it, so here is one now:lol:

I acquired a set of Rufkin Gauntlets a long while back and never really liked how thin and flimsy they felt ( I believe they are a polystyrene pull ).
so I set to work on making them better...
The first thing was tackling the strength issue, which I decided to resolve by using PVC pipe.
Sorry no pic's of this process...
I cut the pipes to forearm size and split down the middle length ways. Unfortunately I my heat gun decided to die on me, so I used a little pencil blow torch to heat the pipe.
Once I had reshaped the pipe I realised my first mistake. The pipe is a tube and the forearms are more cone shaped and my newly formed pieces had big gapes at the ends closest to the elbow..:facepalm. Not good. So re-cutting four pipes this time I cut out wedge shaped sections, re-heated them and shaped them to my forearms,
This time I had a good fit and with overlapping pipe to spare, enough to cut the excess for a perfect fit.
Now that I had two gauntlet inner's I need to consider how I wanted them to attach to the Rufkin molds and how they should open and shut.
Because I spend a bit of time on the forums:rolleyes I have seen a few ways that others have tackled the gauntlet attachment issue.
I have seen Velcro, hinges and magnets and pin closure.( using the hinge pin to close the open side of the gauntlets ).
I decided I wanted the gauntlets to open and close with a hinge, but I really didn't like the way that you can see the hinge on the gauntlet. For me the hinge looks to archaic, so I decide to try and hide it...
So taking into account the hinge I cut into each side of the newly formed PVC gaunt/pipe, each cut being half the diameter of the hinge and the cut being on the inside of the arm ( this being the least visible area ).
I then riveted the hinge to each side of the pipe, so I now had a opening and closing inner.
next came attaching to the Rufkin outer. The first to be attached was the bottom, as the tops would have electronic parts and that is another kettle of fish... To accommodate the electronics I added a door to the top half, so I can have a way of changing the batteries..
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As you can see, to hide the hinge I mounted it with the pin facing in rather than towards the outside like other ways I have seen.

inner core plain.JPGinner core.1.JPG
 
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It looks like you have a little trap door on one of your gauntlets, what's it for?
 
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That trap door is for access to the battery compartment, as I plan on put in light and switch.
 
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my Rufkin Gaunlets...

Nice work paul! As handy as always! This my friends is what you call kiwi ingenuity! Im actually making my suit out of #8 fencing wire lol!
 
Okay... Moving on.

I will jump to the left gauntlet and the modifications.
Like most here I wanted my gauntlets to be more than just decorative pieces. I want to have a little bit of function, even if it was just a light that blinks:lol:
So first thing I did was go and find a self blinking LED and cover for the left gauntlet. The mounting of the light is self explanatory, as it was just a hole drilled and the cover mounted with two part epoxy (I used "Green stuff" as I had it lying around).
I also mounted a a two stage switch in the sided of the gauntlet.
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This shows the basics of the set-up:)

Next I need to make supports for the inner core, which I did with stick two part epoxy. I mixed up enough for two corners at a time.
Using latex gloves I mixed the epoxy, this stops the mess on your hands and also there is some nasty chemicals in the epoxy that can be absorbed into your skin, which is not good!
I used Plasticine on the other corners to make temp supports so that the epoxy ones would sit right. I covered the epoxy ( and plasticine ) with cello-wrap so it wouldn't stick and then pressed the inner into the top of the gauntlet until it sat snugly into place. This process I repeated with the corners and sides until I was happy that the inner would be secure enough.
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I also strengthened a few areas on the inside with epoxy, mainly in the corners that I felt were too flimsy..

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