Props My Weapons Build Thread (tutorial)

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MA5K build ver2 Part 1

After my success with my first MA5K build I wanted to make the other version pictured on the cover of ghosts of onyx. Specifically the MA5K held by the Spartan III who is kneeling as pictured below.
Spart3closeup.jpg

Lucky for me Garland created some great Pep files located here. If a link in this thread doesn't work please copy and paste it into your browser.
http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14687&hl=

My goals in this build were simple. To make a durable pep build with materials I had laying around my workshop but without Resin or bondo. Being winter here resin and bondo work is very limited due to the temperature. This thread is a result of a lot of experimentation. I hope many of you find the information I present here useful in your own Pepakura weapon builds. I have arraigned this post in a tutorial format and I hope it helps many members.

The Items you will need to for this build are listed below with a small explanation of what each one is and where to get it.

Cardstock. If you don’t know what this is please read the stickies in the pepakura section on the site. A thick paper used most commonly for business cards and available at office supply stores.

Sculpy, A polymer clay that remains clay like until it is baked. Its great for making small parts. It can be purchased at art and craft stores in a wide range of colors.

Sheetrock Lightweight joint setting compound 45 minute formula. Used in Drywall work. Can be purchased at lumberyards and home improvement stores. A 18lb bag was $8.50 US dollars and will go a long way, you can get smaller bags I just had half a bag laying around. For a Picture check out the link below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_7791.jpg

NIOSH approved dust mask. A dust mask used in mixing and sanding dry wall. Lets be safe ok. You don’t want to breathe in the dust while mixing this stuff. I mix mine outdoors with a mask on, and then come inside once it’s all mixed up. The 45 Minute formula gives you plenty of time to work with it before it starts to harden.

Bowl to mix up the joint compound in. Note anything used to mix joint compound with should only be used for that never use an item that has been in contact with this for a food purpose.

Self adhesive drywall joint tape. A fiberglass like tape used in dry wall work. Usually available at the same place where you got the Sheetrock Lightweight joint setting compound.

Sandpaper. Available at any hardware store and your new best friend.

Plastic for-sale sign. A large plastic for sale sign available at any hardware store. The thicker the plastic the better. I noticed some of the signs are very thin avoid these, look for the thicker ones.

3M General Trim adhesive. This spray adhesive is extremely strong and is used to glue trim and emblems on cars. Can be purchased at most Auto parts stores. Check out the link for a picture of the product.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_7778.jpg

Bulls Eye Spray Shellac. A traditional finish for wood and paper. Can be purchased at most hardware and home improvement stores.

Flavor Injector. A large hypodermic needle looking thing used in cooking. Available at department stores and most places that sell cookware. Click the link below for a picture. Note anything used with joint compound with should only be used for that never use an item that has been in contact with this for a food purpose.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_7828.jpg

Egg Wisk. Nothing more than a small Wisk generally used to Wisk up eggs. Available at most places that sell cookware. Note anything used to mix joint compound with should only be used for that never use an item that has been in contact with this for a food purpose. Available at any place that sells cookware.

Expanding foam insulation. Used in and around homes available at lumberyards, hardware stores and home improvement stores.

Super Glue. If you don’t know what this is then you have led a sheltered life. A super strong fast setting glue that has a tendency to bond together fingers of the unwise. :D Available at a wide variety of places.

First I printed out the pep minus the barrel, flashlight, trigger, ejection port indent, barrel indents, charging handle and one overhead rail. Score and cut out the pep pieces for the lower receiver ONLY. Many of the pep pieces in my build were modified for my special build. So if you wish to do the same just be patient and read on I will show you what you need to know. After scoring the lines and cutting out the pepakura pieces I then cut out several templates for this build from extra pepakura pieces. The first piece we will need is an extra side of the lower receiver like pictured below.
IMG_8296.jpg

Then we will remove this 3/16” inch (Roughly 5mm) area like so. This makes our Template. The 3/16” I removed is to leave room for the tabs to glue on. I then used this template to layout on for sale sign plastic (back side of sign, is white and free of paint). As shown below. Then I cut out these plastic pieces. Note you should cut just inside your lines. This will limit how much you need to trim to make the plastic pieces fit perfectly. Also flip your template over so you have to opposite pieces.
IMG_8299.jpg

Ok Now we make a template out of a side piece of the magazine well and cut pieces of for sale sign plastic like below. Note we keep this template full size no trimming.
IMG_8297.jpg

Ok now we assemble the lower receiver and magazine well like shown below.
IMG_8295.jpg

Now before you assemble this part of the pep here are a few field notes. On each side of this lower receiver are some fold lines that are unneeded, don’t bother folding them. If you look these fold lines are on different places on each side. Plus if you pay attention you will note which ones I am talking about because you can clearly see them in my photos. They are the only ones I didn’t score with ink pens.
Right side
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8388.jpg

Left side
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8386.jpg

Secondly the magazine well spacing is uneven in the pep model. Click this link below to see a screen cap of the pieces. As you can see one piece is way out of whack.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...agazinelips.jpg

To even it out I measured 1/8”inch (roughly 3mm) on the pep pieces and ended up with an assembled magazine well like this below.
IMG_8374.jpg

Ok now onto the next step of this build. Take the for sale sign plastic pieces you cut out and attach some self adhesive drywall joint tape. Next I used a few drops of super glue on the plastic to permanently fasten the joint tape to the plastic like pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8298.jpg

After the super glue has set up trim the excess away and continue on with the other parts. Like this side receiver piece click below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8301.jpg

Now we take these plastic joint tape pieces and we flip them over (joint tape side down) on some newspaper or cardboard and spray them down with some 3M General Trim adhesive. And put them in the lower receiver like shown below. The adhesive dries fast so don’t fool around, emplace it quickly. I only spray one piece at a time. The adhesive should be used in a well ventilated area as well. Try not to get the adhesive on your hands; I use a set of tweezers to pick up and emplace the pieces.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8300.jpg

Now for the straight pieces like the back top and front of the magazine well we just use a ruler and cut strips and cut pieces as needed. You will note that I have included a magnet in the top of the magazine well.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8302.jpg

Here is the handle area with the plastic in place.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8303.jpg

Here is the lower receiver and magazine well pretty much complete. You will note that at each fold it’s an entirely new piece cut and glued in place. Also you need to start thinking a few steps ahead because you don’t want to glue a piece in place and then find out later you have a tab that needs to be glued in there. The key is to add the pep as you go and then glue in for sale sign plastic over the cardstock tabs and all. This increases the builds strength.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8305.jpg

Next we want to pep and glue in plastic to this center pistol grip piece as pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8306.jpg

Then we glue this part into the lower receiver as pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8307.jpg

Then we assemble the next upper part of the receiver and part of the butt plate. You will note that the Butt plate is not completely attached. This is deliberate and the reason for this becomes apparent later on. It should go without saying that you should attach for sale sign plastic and joint tape on these new places except where tabs must be glued. But I said it to drive home the method of this build.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...ppersection.jpg

A close up of the rear of the magazine well.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8304.jpg

Take the pep outside and give it a light coat of spray on shellac, then set it aside someplace warm to dry.

Now we take a step back from the pep and for sale sign plastic and we take the flavor injector and modify it. I used a Dremel with a cut off wheel and cut off the tip as pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_7835.jpg

Now a note on the mix ratio of the sheetrock lightweight joint setting compound. I did up a series of mix tests in 1”x1” cardstock cubes. The picture of these tests are below and I think they speak for themselves about the shrinkage rate. These cubes were filled level to the top with there mixtures. The tops of the cubes are open and marked with a red sharpie on the cured compound to highlight the shrinkage. 1.75 parts compound to 1 part water barely shrinks at all. However this mixture is thick like cake frosting and has to be spooned and pushed around. 1.5 parts compound to 1 part water has very little shrinkage and can be used in a flavor injector. It has a consistency like a nice milkshake, not to runny not to thick. One part compound to one part water has more shrinkage and is like a runny milkshake in consistency. But the amazing part of this test is the sides of the cardstock maintained there shape well with minimal warping. That’s why we add the plastic, to maintain the shape perfectly.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8389.jpg

With the shellac for sale sign plastic and joint compound used in concert we create a hard model with no warping. This is the build methodology I have come up with and it works great for pep weapons. For those of you who have a harder time visualizing this here is a simple diagram.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/Layering.jpg

Next step is to mix up some Sheetrock Lightweight joint setting compound. I mix only a Dixie cup at a time (3oz 85grams) to keep the batches small. I use a mixture of 1.5 parts compound to 1 part water. Then I fill my flavor injectors and take the rear receiver as pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8311.jpg

Then we gently pull back the top rails and inject the joint compound into the narrow space between the magazine well and receiver as shown below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8312.jpg

After you have a good amount injected into each side of the magazine well lightly tamp the receiver on the table to drive the compound all the way down into all the nooks and crannies. Don’t over do this a little tamping goes a long way. You should end up with the inside of your receiver looking like this in the afore mentioned areas.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8314.jpg

If you have any mixed joint compound left over (I always do). Then take it and just pour some of it into the back behind the magazine well. Then take the rest and pour it down the pistol grip. Then lightly pick up the receiver and roll it around in your hands. The goal here is to get the compound to cover as large as an area around the inside of the receiver as possible. Don’t let the compound go beyond the plastic for sale sign joint tape prepared surfaces. You should then end up with some views like this.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8313.jpg
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8315.jpg

Now take the receiver and place it someplace warm where it won’t be knocked over or otherwise disturbed to dry. To be on the safe side I let my parts dry at least 3 days in the furnace room of my house.

Please read this carefully. If you have questions please do not quote this entire post. Just copy and paste the relevant area. I will do my best to clear up any questions you may have before continuing with this tutorial. Let’s keep this thread as orderly as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.
 
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Ah man thank you so much for making this thread!
I'll start building mine this way this summer, hopefully lol.
Can't wait to see it completed.
 
RadioactiV777 said:
Ah man thank you so much for making this thread!
I'll start building mine this way this summer, hopefully lol.
Can't wait to see it completed.
No problem man almost have the build done here, will have the second installment of the tutorial up in a few days.

S1l3nt V1p3r said:
Sticky, anyone? :cool:
Didn't expect that. Thanks S1l3nt V1p3r that's high praise :D
 
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Spartan 161 said:
Ahhh I see. Well time will tell.
looks good so far, how do you plan to harden it up?
USING Aliphatic resin
 
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link4044 said:
dont be hijacking his thread
Not Hijacking just trying to put my own helpful progress pics on what it SHOULD look like{except I'm making a custom MA5K

ALSO sorry about the double posting
 
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Nice tut, Spartan 161. Lookin forward to the rest of it. This looks like a great alternative to expanding foam.

And just a shout out to everyone else working on my files, I am aware of the mistakes, and the files will be updated someday. My laptop is KIA, so it may be awhile before I get another one set up and all of my models and such recovered from the old hard drives.
 
Garland said:
Nice tut, Spartan 161. Lookin forward to the rest of it. This looks like a great alternative to expanding foam.

Thanks Garland couldn't have been possible without people like you making the great PDO's many of us here use.

Now since there is no questions on to part 2.


MA5K build ver2 Part 2
Ok now on to the next stage of the build. I took the end piece where the barrel and flashlight came out and made a plastic for sale sign piece like so. I measured down from the top of one of the pep pieces to the center of the barrel indent holes to get the correct measurement to center the barrel hole.
IMG_8310.jpg

I Then took the fore arm piece directly under the last piece and made a plastic piece for it. Lined them up and measured ¼”(6mm roughly) up from the bottom and laid out a hole for my flashlight.
IMG_8316.jpg

I then used these pieces to make a wooden support that would fit into the pep build like pictured below.
IMG_8317.jpg

Next I laid out the barrel indents I wanted on the pep pieces. I used ¼”(6mm roughly) slots as pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8325.jpg

Next I cut the laid out barrel indents. The end piece where the barrel and flashlight protrudes from needs some special tlc before you cut it out. On the original pep build you had an area on the front that had cut outs for the carrying rails. Now if you intend to made the pep rails out of cardstock (a bad idea in IMO). You can cut them out as printed. Or you can do what I did and make them out of sheet metal. To make it ready for a sheet metal build we draw and cut out the front with a large tab as pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8335.jpg

Ok now measure and cut out for sale sign plastic for the above part of the build. I used the cut out barrel indent holes as a template to lay out the lines with a sharpie and then cut out these indents in the plastic pieces. Good news no Drywall tape needed on these pieces. Repeat the same process with the section that connects right behind this one and assemble them adding the plastic as needed. Here is a shot inside the forward section with the barrel hole cut out. You will also note the hole cut out in the plastic only for the flashlight and the two slots cut out for the soon to be made metal rails.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8347.jpg

Ok I cut out the next pieces for the receiver part of the build. On the right piece where the bolt carrier would be seen and the spent shell would eject I laid out the hole I would cut to fit my sculpy simulated bolt. Close up below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8337.jpg
And a wide angel shot.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8336.jpg

Note the left hand side of the receiver didn’t get any layout lines for the charging handle at this time. I am making a moveable action for this build and I cant lay out or cut these lines until I have the action built and in place. This is coming soon so be patient. Ok on to the next step. I then take these pieces and add them to the receiver along wit the rest of the butt plate assembly. Once again we add for sale sign plastic with joint tape to the assembled areas.
Now we turn our attention to the HUD assembly. This is another area that requires some tlc and forethought. The piece that gets the most modification is the part of the hud that faces the front of the build between the carrying rails. I took this piece and laid out some extra tabs like pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8330.jpg

Then I cut out the rest of the HUD attached the screen, then cut out for sale sign plastic to fit inside it like pictured below. You will note that the side pieces were cut short this is to allow the metal rails room to glue in. Also I made a piece of plastic to go around the HUD screen to help reinforce the build.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8327.jpg

Ok now I attached the HUD to the rear receiver with the plastic in place. Here is a look up into the HUD.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8351.jpg
A User view of the HUD in place.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8350.jpg

Now we assemble all the built pieces and end up with a build looking like something below. Remember to add plastic to the correct areas as you go.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8346.jpg

Ok here is the front of the HUD. I made one small error in trying to lay out the extra material and tabs and had to glue up a new face for it from some scrap card stock. Then I cut the rail holes with a sharp blade. My mistake was not taking into account the shape of the HUD after putting on the side Indents.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8348.jpg

Now we turn our attention to the forearm part of the build. Step one Score and cut out the 2 pieces then go ahead and pep them together. You will end up with a piece like this.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8355.jpg
Side view
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8356.jpg

Next we cut for sale sign plastic and glue it in place; we are talking a lot of small pieces. It doesn’t have to be perfect so don’t sweat some small gaps. You will end up with something like this. Note the flat top pieces have plastic behind them, sorry couldn’t get a good picture due to the nature of the shape, trust me they are in there. Also you will note that the forward part of it is missing the piece we cut earlier (where the flashlight goes). Also the pieces of plastic leave a gap for the wooden part we made earlier. This is deliberate.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8357.jpg
A close up view.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8358.jpg

Ok at this pint I took some super glue and put it into all the gaps between the plastic pieces. This serves to harden the basic shape and help make it more waterproof. After the superglue sets up then lay out some drywall joint tape and use super glue to hold it in place. After that has fully dried mix up some sheetrock lightweight joint setting compound and pour it in. Rotate the part in your hands to cover the entire surface with the exception of the forward area. You should end up with something like this.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8383.jpg
After the part is nice and dry (About 2-3days). We have a part that looks like this.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8390.jpg

Now we take this part and primer the inside of it. Why you ask? For two reasons, one to give us a good base to paint it flat black (or your own color choice). Two because if you were to position the finished Weapon and look down into it through the barrel indent slots you don’t want to see a pasty white, you want to see flat black paint like the rest of the build. You should end up with a look like this.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8391.jpg

Ok now we take the part and give it a nice coat of flat black (or your own color choice). And you will end up with something like this. Don’t sweat the overspray.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8392.jpg

Please read this carefully. If you have questions please do not quote this entire post. Just copy and paste the relevant area. I will do my best to clear up any questions you may have before continuing with this tutorial. Let’s keep this thread as orderly as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.
 
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S1l3nt V1p3r said:
This thread requires more sunglasses for everyone so we won't go blind because of your Awesomeness.
Thanks S1l3nt V1p3r. I hope the Information here is useful to the community.
 
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Now since there is no questions on to part 3.

MA5K build ver2 Part 3
Ok now we can move on to the carrying rails. First thing we need to do is take the single rail you printed out and trim it down to represent only the outer side of it. I took this trimmed piece and glued it to some cardboard. Then I sketched out the added area I would need for this build like so.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S.../IMG_8322-1.jpg

Some close ups of the added areas. Note the holes are necessary for the glue ups.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8324.jpg
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S.../IMG_8323-1.jpg

Ok now we cut out and punch the holes in this template. At this point you have to decide what you want to make the rails out of. For me the choice was some 18gage steel sheet (1.20mm) I had laying around. I think steel sheet like this is ideal but 1/8”inch (roughly 3mm) wood would work fine as well. Taking my new template I laid out my new rails on the sheet, cut them out with tin snips. After straitening them out, de burring with a file I ended up with what we have below. Note the lines where they will disappear into the pep, these areas were filled down slightly so that when they were in place they would even up with the pep build.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8345.jpg

Now we go back to the front of the HUD and front of the build. If you have not cut holes for the rails you need to do so at this point. Then test fit your pieces. Modify where needed to get an even fit like pictured below.

Front of build
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8349.jpg
Front of HUD
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8348.jpg

Below is a picture of the rails in place after I have modified them to fit perfectly.
IMG_8353.jpg


Ok now I took the rails cleaned them off and painted them with gray primer. Then I took one of them and smeared the ends with the product pictured below.
IMG_8359.jpg


Then I inserted the rail into the precut holes. Once in place I clamped the forward part of it in place from the inside out. To keep the epoxy from sticking to the clamp I covered the inside part of the clamp with some masking tape.
IMG_8367.jpg


Once the Epoxy has set up you should end up with a finished part attached to the build look like this.
Back
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8368.jpg
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8372.jpg
Front
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8369.jpg
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8371.jpg

Inside the front, as you will note I got the epoxy inside one of the holes perfectly. Not so good on the other but good enough to bond it to the plastic pep build.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8373.jpg

Now we repeat this procedure to attach the next rail. Once done we end up with a view like this.
IMG_8380.jpg


A close up of the back part. Note all the excess epoxy, don’t be afraid of laying it on like this. It sands off like bondo and better to have too much than not enough.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8382.jpg

Please read this carefully. If you have questions please do not quote this entire post. Just copy and paste the relevant area. I will do my best to clear up any questions you may have before continuing with this tutorial. Let’s keep this thread as orderly as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.
 
UNIT-SPARTAN#007 said:
tis thread is awersome but a reference pic would be nice lol great work!!!
Thanks. You make a good point, reference picture added to the first post.
 
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Now since there is no questions on to part 4.


MA5K build ver2 Part 4
Ok now onto reinforcement for the forward part pf the build. First thing we do is take the lower area where the trigger attaches and cut some for sale sign plastic like pictured below.
IMG_8393.jpg


We then attach the back flap to the build like pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8398.jpg

Then glue in the for sale sign plastic like pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8399.jpg

Then glue the rest of the lower area like pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8400.jpg

Now in this view you can see the inner card stock, note the printed lines. This was one of my recycled pieces of card stock so ignore the lines.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8401.jpg

Now we glue in the for sale sign plastic on each of these inner sides so we end up with a view like below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8402.jpg
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8403.jpg

Ok now we spray some primer on the inside of the Plastic like pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8404.jpg

Then after it is dry we spray in our flat black spray paint like so.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8405.jpg

Ok now we take the first support we built back when we were working with the carrying rails and make 2 more. Then we prime and paint them so we end up with 3 pieces like so. You will note the support on the far left has the corners clipped to fit inside the lower part of the build.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8406.jpg

Once the build is dry from the spray paint we insert the far left support in the back of the build and glue it in place with super glue as pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8408.jpg

After the glue has set up we give it a coat of flat back paint and we end up with a view like this.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8409.jpg

Ok now we cut some supports from some ¼”X ½” (6mmX12MM roughly) Popular wood. The length of these cuts is totally dependant on how far back you put the first support. You want these side supports to put the next middle support even with the pepakura and for sale sign seam to reinforce the whole build. Once you have these side supports cut, prime and paint them with flat black spray paint. So you end up with two parts like pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8410.jpg

We then take these supports and glue them in place. The use of some spring clamps makes this much easier like pictured below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8411.jpg

Once the glue has set up you end up with the side reinforcement in place like so. Repeat the last steps for the other side.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8413.jpg

Using the same procedures I cut some craft sticks (popsicle sticks) and glued them around the upper side slots. As pictured below. In hind sight I should have done these first but that’s why they call it hindsight.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8414.jpg
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8415.jpg
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8416.jpg

Ok we then glue in the next middle support like pictured below. A good way to keep everything lined up is to insert your barrel tube every time you glue in a main support like this. For my barrel I used some 3/8” steel tubing.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8417.jpg

Then we glue in the last main support like pictured below. A good way to keep everything lined up is to insert your barrel tube every time you glue in a main support like this. For my barrel I used some 3/8” steel tubing.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8418.jpg
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8419.jpg

Next we cut and fit side supports around the side slots and main body like last time. You end up with a view like below.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8443.jpg

We give the whole inside a nice coat of flat black paint and we end up with a view like this.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh155/S...61/IMG_8484.jpg

Ok now I took a piece of PVC pipe that was fit for my flashlight hole painted it flat black as pictured below.
IMG_8485.jpg


Inserted it into the build and glued it in place with a few drops of superglue as pictured below.
IMG_8486.jpg


Please read this carefully. If you have questions please do not quote this entire post. Just copy and paste the relevant area. I will do my best to clear up any questions you may have before continuing with this tutorial. Let’s keep this thread as orderly as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.
 
Epic build thread is EPIC!

Thanks for taking the time to document and upload your work for us to see. I'm very impressed with the level of documentation here. This will make one heckuva tutorial when completed.

:not worthy:
 
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