Fetthunter
Well-Known Hunter
Well, it's been 5+ years since I made my last set of gauntlets, and while they've held up to more abuse and troopings than I care to remember, it's time for a new set.
In order to speed up the process, I ordered a set of assembled gauntlets from Ruffkin. They are vac-formed Styrene with several resin detail parts (I ordered them without the calc pad and dental expander, since I make those myself, and without the missile since I bought one from RussRep):
These would be great if they were going on a mannequin or being used for occasional trooping, but my garrison does events on an average of 1 every 2 weeks. I'm worried that standard vac-formed Styrene isn't going to take the abuse that I'm (and throngs of crazy little kids are) going to be giving there things...
Time to fiberglass them!
This is the first layer of fiberglass resin/mat/resin "sandwiching" (the red stuff is just ink from my red Sharpie that I used to mark the fiberglass mat before cutting it). I ended up with 2-3 layers on all pieces with extra resin in the corners since they take the most abuse.
This shows what resin parts I replaced, and the metal parts that I replaced them with. The metal ones will certainly survive for years to come:
This is after replacing the resin connectors with metal ones, smoothing everything with spot putty (the red stuff), and sanding:
After priming (at this point I've also installed the "correct" black pushbuttons on the left gauntlet. They were offered on TDH back in 2002 by a board member in The Netherlands):
After 1st coat of Plasti-Kote automotive chrome:
After wiring up the 12V lamp:
It's an "old school" 12V lamp and toggle switch. All incandescent, for that "glow" that LEDs can't deliver!
Time to apply the liquid masking fluid to the chrome where the scratches will go, and then start airbrushing!
Windsor & Newton masking fluid applied where the "battle damage" will be:
Right gauntlet shortly after airbrushing 1st coat of Polyscale "Rock Island Maroon". I first tried the "Wisconsin Central Maroon" paint, but it didn't look right to me. Even though it's what was used on film, my goal was to get that film paint color in real life.:
Gauntlets after several more coats of Rock Island Maroon and dried masking fluid has been removed, revealing chrome basecoat scratches and damage. Note how much the color changes with the addition of extra coats of paint.:
Close-up of right gauntlet showing addition of RusRep darts:
Close-up of left gauntlet showing Fetthunter Designs dental expander & calc pad detail:
How do you make metal detail pieces look like they're burned and charred? :confused
You burn and char them!!!
The laser nozzles after the "heat treatment".:
Polyscale "Weathered Black" paint applied to the inside of the nozzles.:
I applied liquid mask to the rocket, and then painted it by airbrushing Floquil "Weathered Black" on it:
The rocket after the iquid mask has been removed and the whole thing has been lightly sanded with a "fine" sanding sponge:
THE FINISHED GAUNTLETS!!!
A breakdown of "what's what":
I think that's it (for now)! I still have to install the 2 mini toggle switches on the right gauntlet, but that's minor. I'll try and post pics when I get that done.
Thanks for looking, and for your compliments! :cheers
J
In order to speed up the process, I ordered a set of assembled gauntlets from Ruffkin. They are vac-formed Styrene with several resin detail parts (I ordered them without the calc pad and dental expander, since I make those myself, and without the missile since I bought one from RussRep):
These would be great if they were going on a mannequin or being used for occasional trooping, but my garrison does events on an average of 1 every 2 weeks. I'm worried that standard vac-formed Styrene isn't going to take the abuse that I'm (and throngs of crazy little kids are) going to be giving there things...
Time to fiberglass them!
This is the first layer of fiberglass resin/mat/resin "sandwiching" (the red stuff is just ink from my red Sharpie that I used to mark the fiberglass mat before cutting it). I ended up with 2-3 layers on all pieces with extra resin in the corners since they take the most abuse.
This shows what resin parts I replaced, and the metal parts that I replaced them with. The metal ones will certainly survive for years to come:
This is after replacing the resin connectors with metal ones, smoothing everything with spot putty (the red stuff), and sanding:
After priming (at this point I've also installed the "correct" black pushbuttons on the left gauntlet. They were offered on TDH back in 2002 by a board member in The Netherlands):
After 1st coat of Plasti-Kote automotive chrome:
After wiring up the 12V lamp:
It's an "old school" 12V lamp and toggle switch. All incandescent, for that "glow" that LEDs can't deliver!
Time to apply the liquid masking fluid to the chrome where the scratches will go, and then start airbrushing!
Windsor & Newton masking fluid applied where the "battle damage" will be:
Right gauntlet shortly after airbrushing 1st coat of Polyscale "Rock Island Maroon". I first tried the "Wisconsin Central Maroon" paint, but it didn't look right to me. Even though it's what was used on film, my goal was to get that film paint color in real life.:
Gauntlets after several more coats of Rock Island Maroon and dried masking fluid has been removed, revealing chrome basecoat scratches and damage. Note how much the color changes with the addition of extra coats of paint.:
Close-up of right gauntlet showing addition of RusRep darts:
Close-up of left gauntlet showing Fetthunter Designs dental expander & calc pad detail:
How do you make metal detail pieces look like they're burned and charred? :confused
You burn and char them!!!
The laser nozzles after the "heat treatment".:
Polyscale "Weathered Black" paint applied to the inside of the nozzles.:
I applied liquid mask to the rocket, and then painted it by airbrushing Floquil "Weathered Black" on it:
The rocket after the iquid mask has been removed and the whole thing has been lightly sanded with a "fine" sanding sponge:
THE FINISHED GAUNTLETS!!!
A breakdown of "what's what":
I think that's it (for now)! I still have to install the 2 mini toggle switches on the right gauntlet, but that's minor. I'll try and post pics when I get that done.
Thanks for looking, and for your compliments! :cheers
J
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