bad news clawdites... i got a quote from the machinist i was working with for the barrel...
price doesn't look good...
he quoted me at $300/ea. per barrel.... add on the handle (which I'm making) and assmebly and painting and all that - and it's looking like $375-400 per gun. And i don't think ANYONE here is willing to pay that much.
I'm looking at other options... perhaps if i order more than 5 barrels the price will come down... or maybe (just maybe) i can convince my step-father to make them... whatever it takes - i'll get these made - and they'll be the best, most accurate blasters and at a reasonable price
Whoa, didn't he say that it comes with sound effects and real lazers? hehehe just kiddin. I ran across the same prob trying to get a barrel made with kimncris's specs. No machinist around here wants to do it cheap even if you wanna use aluminum.
Ok, dumb question to follow; ........With the first set of "masters", wouldn't you now cast them in a cheaper medium? Seems like you do a bang-up job of casting all the other pieces that this should work as well. If you modified the mold, you could place a length of aluminum tubing right down the center length of the barrel assembly for every pour to provide rigidity and strength to the finished pieces. At least that's what I'd try.
but then it would be a RESIN barrel.... and who wants that¿ Sure - you can use special paints or whatever - but nothing beats the real look of aluminum
At least I got one for my daughter's costume at a good price! It even has a trigger with lights and sounds! Sure it's made of plastic but it's pretty cool! I might need to borrow it!
well... i decided to take the plunge and get 10 barrels made up. It's a bit cheaper each to get 10 than it would to get 5. So, i'm selling my cereal box collection to raise the money needed up front: DCB eBay link
Dustin Crops Boy wrote:
well... i decided to take the plunge and get 10 barrels made up. It's a bit cheaper each to get 10 than it would to get 5. So, i'm selling my cereal box collection to raise the money needed up front: DCB eBay link
Weee... got my barrel back today that i had machined to my specs...
just have to finish up the base that it sits on (needed the barrel in hand for final sizing - but it's almost done)... then cast up the handle parts and find the small bits (I think I may have a source for those!)...
compare mine to KnC's... like I said before - they did an excellent job with the ref they had available to them at the time... but i think mine is a bit more true to the size - based on my research...
also...... i was thinking about the syringe piece some more last night.... the whole time i was looking for a piece with a flat thumbscrew.... but only found ones with longer thumbscrews.. but then i thought.... why can't it be long and just pushed into a larger hole...
From your orig pic, It's obvious, the handle is custom, and not found, i mean, just look, there is no weathering on your pic, and on the visual dictionary pic, there is wood-like weathering. Right?
Dallas, I am so very impressed - that looks wonderful! Just out of curiosity, how much did the machinist charge you to make the barrel? (forgive me if this is already posted somewhere)
$300 Initially it was going to be $300 for this one (the prototype)... then $240 for each one after that - but after they finished it and found out what a bear it was to actually do (lots of intricate cuts)... they said they could not do it for less than $500 ea! So - i'm looking at other options...