Xtreme TACTICS 101
Well-Known Member
PART ONE:
Now, I guess first off I should clear something up: SAFETY FIRST!!! Thats right, ALWAYS use a resporator when dealing with Bondo and Resin!
Now that I have that out of the way, here is the main idea of the thread...
Have you ever wondered what is the best way to make a halo weapon for around $50.00? Are you really low on money and really want or need a very good weapon prop? Stop you're searching, because you have just found the answer to you're question!
This thread is committed to show you the know how on how to make a cardboard Battle Rifle.
Materials you need are:
-Thick corrogated cardboard - FREE from in a dumpster behind a furnature store
-Cerial box - Free, get mommy to buy you some "Lucky Charms"
-Exacto knife - $5.00
-A spring - $2.50
-1.5cm wooden dowel - $2.00
-1.5cm copper plumbing pipe -(optional) - FREE if you have it
-20mm rifle scope rails (optional) - Take them off a cheep airsoft gun or buy some on the internet
-Bondo body filler- small - $10.00
-Spot Putty - $2.50
-Resin - $15.00
-Spray paint (black and silver) - $5.00 each
-Metal knitting needle - $1.00 at dollar store
-School glue - $1.00 at dollar store
-Strong wire - $1.00 from dollar store/Wal-mart
SINGS:
RED - Look at Battle Rifle diagram for referance
YELLOW - Improtant!
UNDERLINED - Link!
Now, here is the diagram I will be refering to:
Once you have all of the materials needed, you are ready to start.
STEP 1: SCALE YOUR BLUEPRINTS-
First off before your start your Battle Rifle, you need to scale your Battle Rifle to the propper size. I used Wizardofflight's blueprints for this. Print the blueprints off of your computer and get ready for the most stressing part of the process. Once the blueprints are printed, you have to scale them up. Grab a calculator, a pencle, an erasor and some paper. Next, find the scale you want. For example: If the battle rifle blueprints you printed off of the computer are 12cm's long and the BR you want to make is 89.9 cm long (real size), than divide 12cm by 89.9 cm and you will have your scale. If you do this correctly, the scale of the BR will be right on.
The finished blueprint you have drawn should look something like this (I know, its some Sniper Rifle blueprints but I did not have a picture of my Battle Rifle blueprints):
NOTE: Wizardofflights Battle Rifle blueprints are slightly too short. Once you have you're BR scaled and drawn out, add 1cm-2cm to the flash hider.
STEP 2: GETTING STARTED-
Now that you have made it to STEP 2, I'll show you how to make the base of your Battle Rifle. First off, use your Battle Rifle blueprints and cut 5-7 identicle Battle Rifle pieces from the cardboard but DO NOT cut out the barrel aswell. Finishing this, put the pieces togeather and see if any part is larger than the other. If so, trim that part to the right size. Next, put the pieces togeather again, but this time measure how wide the gun is. If it is 3.5cm's thick and you are building the full scale Battle Rifle, than you are ready for the next step.
STEP 3: MAG WELL, SAFETY BUTTON AND MAG, OH MY!-
Now, you can skip this step or not, its your choice, but if you want plenty of functions, than read on. On my Battle Rifle, there is a removeable Mag, working charging handle and a working safety button. If you want all of these things than here is how to do it.
MAG WELL- Take the innermost layers of your Battle Rifle (all but 2 pieces) and get ready to cut them. Take your blueprints and draw a realistic sized magazine onto it. Next, cut that part from your blueprint and keep the magazine part. Use the BR blueprint and place it on top of the cardboard piece and draw where the mag is supposed to go. Cut that area out and keep the mag shaped pieces and the BR pieces. Do the same thing to all but 2 of the BR pieces. Once finished, the magazine well is done.
SAFETY BUTTON- Take your Battle Rifle blueprints and cut away the safety button. If you are not sure where that is its #(5). Next take all of your Battle Rifle shaped parts and line the blueprint up with the parts and trace the hole where the safety button is supposed to be onto the cardboard part. Than cut the piece out and throw it away. Do the same to all of the parts and you are half way finished your safety button.
MAG- Hopefully you didn't throw away those larger pieces you cut out from the gun that were ment to be the mag. If you did, than make new ones using your blueprint. If you still have them, than keep reading. Use those pieces and glue them togeather so that all of the edges line up. Leave it to dry while you carry onto the next step.
BARREL WELL- This part is important. Cut a hole something around this area and size on all but the 2 outter pieces. This is for the barrel, DO NOT MISS THIS PART!!!
STEP 4: PICKING UP THE PIECES AND PUTTING THEM TOGEATHER AGAIN-
Now, using the Battle Rifle shaped pieces, glue them togeather so that EVERY edge is lined up with eachother. Leave the Battle Rifle to dry over night under some heavy books to keep it from warping. Once finished, it should look something like this (Without front detail yet):
STEP 5: CHARGING HANDLE WELL-
Once the Battle Rifle is dry, grab an exacto knife and the Battle Rifle and be VERY CAREFUL during this step! Use the exacto knife to cut on the top of the Battle Rifle where I have directed at #(2). Dont cut yourself!!! Once finished this, tear the inside cardboard down to #(1). Once finished that, cut a section from your cerial box and line the bottem of the well with it. Now, don't worry, the huge hole will not be there forever. You will cover it up soon enough.
STEP 6: DETAIL HO! -
This is the fun part! This is where the Battle Rifle really starts looking great! First off, this step may get a little confusing, so take your time with this and go step by step and you won't go wrong.
Take your blueprint and cut out the Side Grip or "Triangle Bar" [ #(9) ]. This is the hardest part to do, so get it over with now. Take that part and trace it 2 times. The parts have to be opposite to eachother. Do this by tracing it once, than flipping it on its back, and tracing it again. This finished, cut the cardboard part out. Once finished, store it in a safe place for now.
Now, cut the mag relice button out of your blueprint and use the main part of the blueprint and line it up to the cardboard Battle Rifle itself. Trace the mag relice button [ # (4) ] on both sides and cut it out like this:
Now for the forgrip area. Take your now mangled blueprint and cut the forgrip part out. Trace that part onto some cardboard, and than measure 5cm-5.5cm (if you are doing a full scale Battle Rifle) from the bottem. Next, take the blueprint forgrip piece and flip it on its back, and line it up with the 5cm-5.5cm marks. Once cut out, it should look something like this DO NOT USE BLUEPRINT!:
This could take 2-3 tries to make it work, but it saves lots of work in the long run. Now, take the Battle Rifle's main body piece and where the forgrip part should go, round that area off with the exacto knife. Now, make scores with the knife on the forgrip part you just cut out, and finally glue that part on. Rubber band that part in blace, and keep a close eye on it for half an hour, than let it dry over night.
Follow what I just typed in the above paragraph for the top venting part aswell [ # (6) ].
Next, do the rest of the details on both sides. Glue all of the pieces in place and you will almost be finished with the main part of the project
Here are some pictures of the gun (yours should NOT be here until you complete STEPS 7 and 8.) You should be abled to do the rest of the details using these pictures and your blueprints:
STEP 7: CHARGING HANDLE+ WORKING SYSTEMS-
Now that you have a charging handle well, you need a charging handle. Get your hands on a metal coat hanger, the metal knitting needle , the copper pipe, and the spring. Cut a part from the copper pipe and drill 2 holes into it, so you can fit the knitting needle inside of the holes snugly. Remove the knitting needle, and cut it so you only have the head, and 4cm of the rod left. Throw away the needle part, and keep the head/4cm of rod. Now hook the end of the spring to the knitting needle while the knitting needle is through only one of the holes on the copper pipe. Once the spring is attached firmly, run the knitting needle through the other hole in the copper pipe so the head of the knitting needle is facing the way you want to yank on. Make sure you leve 1.5cm of the needle running until the needle enters the copper pipe. Now using the hammer, smash the other end of the knitting needle that does not have the head on it so it is bent and you are unabled to pull the needle out or move it in any way. Next, take the strong wire, and cut a long piece off. Run the wire through the corrogation of the cardboard from where the charging handle well starts to the bottem of the Battle Rifle so it sticks out the other end. Now run the wire back through the cardboard about 3-4 corrogation slits away to the charging handle well. Run the access wire through the end of the spring and twist the wire so the spring can't be ripped away from the gun, but can still be extended and can spring forward again.
Once you have installed the charging handle like this:
You are now ready to cover up the area that the charging handle is in. Measure in an ark over top of the charging handle well, and use that length to cut a rectangle out of cardboard so it compleatly covers the area. Score the inside of the cardboard piece and bend it so it fits over the area you want to cover. Now glue the pieces like this:
Now you are VERY close to being ready for Bondo and Resin.
STEP 8: BARREL AND FLASH HIDER-
Take the wooden dowel and cut it to the length of the barrel disincluding the flash hider. Now, dry fit it into the hole where the barrel is supposed to go. Check how it fits, and make any adjustments needed. Double check the length of the barrel sticking out, and once satisified, install it! Now, for the flash hider. Take the copper pipe and cut it to the length you scaled the blueprints at. Now if you have any metal cutting saws at your school or at home, get an adult to help you cut the detail into the flash hider. Now, glue the barrel in.
You are now ready for Resin! PART TWO is down the page!
Tell me what you all think, and hope this tutorial helped!
The only thing I ask in return for this tutorial is that if/when you use it, please mention it in your WIP thread. Thanks.
CHEERS!
Now, I guess first off I should clear something up: SAFETY FIRST!!! Thats right, ALWAYS use a resporator when dealing with Bondo and Resin!
Now that I have that out of the way, here is the main idea of the thread...
Have you ever wondered what is the best way to make a halo weapon for around $50.00? Are you really low on money and really want or need a very good weapon prop? Stop you're searching, because you have just found the answer to you're question!
This thread is committed to show you the know how on how to make a cardboard Battle Rifle.
Materials you need are:
-Thick corrogated cardboard - FREE from in a dumpster behind a furnature store
-Cerial box - Free, get mommy to buy you some "Lucky Charms"
-Exacto knife - $5.00
-A spring - $2.50
-1.5cm wooden dowel - $2.00
-1.5cm copper plumbing pipe -(optional) - FREE if you have it
-20mm rifle scope rails (optional) - Take them off a cheep airsoft gun or buy some on the internet
-Bondo body filler- small - $10.00
-Spot Putty - $2.50
-Resin - $15.00
-Spray paint (black and silver) - $5.00 each
-Metal knitting needle - $1.00 at dollar store
-School glue - $1.00 at dollar store
-Strong wire - $1.00 from dollar store/Wal-mart
SINGS:
RED - Look at Battle Rifle diagram for referance
YELLOW - Improtant!
UNDERLINED - Link!
Now, here is the diagram I will be refering to:
Once you have all of the materials needed, you are ready to start.
STEP 1: SCALE YOUR BLUEPRINTS-
First off before your start your Battle Rifle, you need to scale your Battle Rifle to the propper size. I used Wizardofflight's blueprints for this. Print the blueprints off of your computer and get ready for the most stressing part of the process. Once the blueprints are printed, you have to scale them up. Grab a calculator, a pencle, an erasor and some paper. Next, find the scale you want. For example: If the battle rifle blueprints you printed off of the computer are 12cm's long and the BR you want to make is 89.9 cm long (real size), than divide 12cm by 89.9 cm and you will have your scale. If you do this correctly, the scale of the BR will be right on.
The finished blueprint you have drawn should look something like this (I know, its some Sniper Rifle blueprints but I did not have a picture of my Battle Rifle blueprints):
NOTE: Wizardofflights Battle Rifle blueprints are slightly too short. Once you have you're BR scaled and drawn out, add 1cm-2cm to the flash hider.
STEP 2: GETTING STARTED-
Now that you have made it to STEP 2, I'll show you how to make the base of your Battle Rifle. First off, use your Battle Rifle blueprints and cut 5-7 identicle Battle Rifle pieces from the cardboard but DO NOT cut out the barrel aswell. Finishing this, put the pieces togeather and see if any part is larger than the other. If so, trim that part to the right size. Next, put the pieces togeather again, but this time measure how wide the gun is. If it is 3.5cm's thick and you are building the full scale Battle Rifle, than you are ready for the next step.
STEP 3: MAG WELL, SAFETY BUTTON AND MAG, OH MY!-
Now, you can skip this step or not, its your choice, but if you want plenty of functions, than read on. On my Battle Rifle, there is a removeable Mag, working charging handle and a working safety button. If you want all of these things than here is how to do it.
MAG WELL- Take the innermost layers of your Battle Rifle (all but 2 pieces) and get ready to cut them. Take your blueprints and draw a realistic sized magazine onto it. Next, cut that part from your blueprint and keep the magazine part. Use the BR blueprint and place it on top of the cardboard piece and draw where the mag is supposed to go. Cut that area out and keep the mag shaped pieces and the BR pieces. Do the same thing to all but 2 of the BR pieces. Once finished, the magazine well is done.
SAFETY BUTTON- Take your Battle Rifle blueprints and cut away the safety button. If you are not sure where that is its #(5). Next take all of your Battle Rifle shaped parts and line the blueprint up with the parts and trace the hole where the safety button is supposed to be onto the cardboard part. Than cut the piece out and throw it away. Do the same to all of the parts and you are half way finished your safety button.
MAG- Hopefully you didn't throw away those larger pieces you cut out from the gun that were ment to be the mag. If you did, than make new ones using your blueprint. If you still have them, than keep reading. Use those pieces and glue them togeather so that all of the edges line up. Leave it to dry while you carry onto the next step.
BARREL WELL- This part is important. Cut a hole something around this area and size on all but the 2 outter pieces. This is for the barrel, DO NOT MISS THIS PART!!!
STEP 4: PICKING UP THE PIECES AND PUTTING THEM TOGEATHER AGAIN-
Now, using the Battle Rifle shaped pieces, glue them togeather so that EVERY edge is lined up with eachother. Leave the Battle Rifle to dry over night under some heavy books to keep it from warping. Once finished, it should look something like this (Without front detail yet):
STEP 5: CHARGING HANDLE WELL-
Once the Battle Rifle is dry, grab an exacto knife and the Battle Rifle and be VERY CAREFUL during this step! Use the exacto knife to cut on the top of the Battle Rifle where I have directed at #(2). Dont cut yourself!!! Once finished this, tear the inside cardboard down to #(1). Once finished that, cut a section from your cerial box and line the bottem of the well with it. Now, don't worry, the huge hole will not be there forever. You will cover it up soon enough.
STEP 6: DETAIL HO! -
This is the fun part! This is where the Battle Rifle really starts looking great! First off, this step may get a little confusing, so take your time with this and go step by step and you won't go wrong.
Take your blueprint and cut out the Side Grip or "Triangle Bar" [ #(9) ]. This is the hardest part to do, so get it over with now. Take that part and trace it 2 times. The parts have to be opposite to eachother. Do this by tracing it once, than flipping it on its back, and tracing it again. This finished, cut the cardboard part out. Once finished, store it in a safe place for now.
Now, cut the mag relice button out of your blueprint and use the main part of the blueprint and line it up to the cardboard Battle Rifle itself. Trace the mag relice button [ # (4) ] on both sides and cut it out like this:
Now for the forgrip area. Take your now mangled blueprint and cut the forgrip part out. Trace that part onto some cardboard, and than measure 5cm-5.5cm (if you are doing a full scale Battle Rifle) from the bottem. Next, take the blueprint forgrip piece and flip it on its back, and line it up with the 5cm-5.5cm marks. Once cut out, it should look something like this DO NOT USE BLUEPRINT!:
This could take 2-3 tries to make it work, but it saves lots of work in the long run. Now, take the Battle Rifle's main body piece and where the forgrip part should go, round that area off with the exacto knife. Now, make scores with the knife on the forgrip part you just cut out, and finally glue that part on. Rubber band that part in blace, and keep a close eye on it for half an hour, than let it dry over night.
Follow what I just typed in the above paragraph for the top venting part aswell [ # (6) ].
Next, do the rest of the details on both sides. Glue all of the pieces in place and you will almost be finished with the main part of the project
Here are some pictures of the gun (yours should NOT be here until you complete STEPS 7 and 8.) You should be abled to do the rest of the details using these pictures and your blueprints:
STEP 7: CHARGING HANDLE+ WORKING SYSTEMS-
Now that you have a charging handle well, you need a charging handle. Get your hands on a metal coat hanger, the metal knitting needle , the copper pipe, and the spring. Cut a part from the copper pipe and drill 2 holes into it, so you can fit the knitting needle inside of the holes snugly. Remove the knitting needle, and cut it so you only have the head, and 4cm of the rod left. Throw away the needle part, and keep the head/4cm of rod. Now hook the end of the spring to the knitting needle while the knitting needle is through only one of the holes on the copper pipe. Once the spring is attached firmly, run the knitting needle through the other hole in the copper pipe so the head of the knitting needle is facing the way you want to yank on. Make sure you leve 1.5cm of the needle running until the needle enters the copper pipe. Now using the hammer, smash the other end of the knitting needle that does not have the head on it so it is bent and you are unabled to pull the needle out or move it in any way. Next, take the strong wire, and cut a long piece off. Run the wire through the corrogation of the cardboard from where the charging handle well starts to the bottem of the Battle Rifle so it sticks out the other end. Now run the wire back through the cardboard about 3-4 corrogation slits away to the charging handle well. Run the access wire through the end of the spring and twist the wire so the spring can't be ripped away from the gun, but can still be extended and can spring forward again.
Once you have installed the charging handle like this:
You are now ready to cover up the area that the charging handle is in. Measure in an ark over top of the charging handle well, and use that length to cut a rectangle out of cardboard so it compleatly covers the area. Score the inside of the cardboard piece and bend it so it fits over the area you want to cover. Now glue the pieces like this:
Now you are VERY close to being ready for Bondo and Resin.
STEP 8: BARREL AND FLASH HIDER-
Take the wooden dowel and cut it to the length of the barrel disincluding the flash hider. Now, dry fit it into the hole where the barrel is supposed to go. Check how it fits, and make any adjustments needed. Double check the length of the barrel sticking out, and once satisified, install it! Now, for the flash hider. Take the copper pipe and cut it to the length you scaled the blueprints at. Now if you have any metal cutting saws at your school or at home, get an adult to help you cut the detail into the flash hider. Now, glue the barrel in.
You are now ready for Resin! PART TWO is down the page!
Tell me what you all think, and hope this tutorial helped!
The only thing I ask in return for this tutorial is that if/when you use it, please mention it in your WIP thread. Thanks.
CHEERS!
Last edited by a moderator:
, So you should send me one, Jk. Anyway, Since you already have an airsoft rail on there, couldn't you just attach an airsoft scope?
