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ODCA

RMO
405th Regiment Officer
Stream Team
hello everyone! I'm finally back posting threads on the forum after quite some time!
I recently got a commission to build a halo reach style needler
what I'm planning to do is build everything out of laser engraved EVA foam, similar to how I built my plasma rifle last year
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with some differences, mainly making the shells smoother and rounder
so, I started sketching the basic blueprints to send it to the laser cutter
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I still need to separate the main body/grip in the layers that will be cut/engraved

also, something that I need advice with is the needles, I've seen that a safe option to make the "needles", and also make them glow, is carving hot glue sticks
I just need a second opinion or confirmation of that method
 
Yesterday i sent everything to the laser cutter And stardet assembling everything
The cutting took a bit less than an hour for everything
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I started to test out the lights as well
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My heat gun died, and while it’s being repaired, i heatformed the shells on the stove... which was a stupid decision DO NOT DO THIS
Still, they came out pretty good
I still need to do a lot of sanding and finishing on the body of the needler
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Ok, big update on the build
I did about 3-4 coats of plasti dip, then silver for the main body
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After that, i did a couple coats of a spraypaint color my client chose, a blue with a very subtle hint of purple
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Then, i put the meedler on hold for a little while, because i needed to get into crunch mode for a few other commissions
yesterday, i finally continued hand painting
-I used a mix of silver with a few drops of white for a few details on the shells and handle
-Dryburshed some black on some of the laser engraved details to make them pop out more and to do some shadows wherever pieces overlapped (like, where the shells meet the main body of the gun)
-Very very lightly dryburshed silver on the shells
-I also went back and dryburshed black on a small spot to make sort of a scorch mark, and painted a small but more noticable scratch with a silver paint marker
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After that was done, i had to start what i've been trying to avoid since i started the build, the needle spikes
Now, i tried to use hot glue sticks, but it just wasn't lighting up, and they just didn't look that good, so, i rushed out to find a solution
I ended up buying a small sheet of pink translucent acrylic
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While i was mentally preparing myself to start working on the acrylic, i started to glue the LED in place inside the upper shell
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After that... It finally happened, the only time i've un-ironically quoted the new star wars movies... "I know what i have to do but i don't know if i have the strength to do it"
So, i started cutting the acrylic, into thin segments (1.5cm x 13cm i think)
Then i started to glue them together
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I drew some vary basic spike shapes on them
I got back home from a party, and got to work on the needles
Now, i only worked on one so far... This was at 3 am on a thursday, i really shoulnt have worked on anything involving power tools at the time
But, i NEEDED to know if my plan was gonna work
So i carved the F out of one of those acrylic blocks with my scrollsaw and dremel for 10-15 minutes
The resulst were kinda nice
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Now... Moment of truth... Does it light up properly?
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Hell yeah it does!

Now, i could finally rest easy, knowing my plan worked...
Now i need to do 13 other spikes, but thats a problem for future me
 
Just... just... looks so damn AMAZING! Those needles came out brilliant! Will you try and make them more transparent by sanding them smooth or will you keep them rough (I actually like them rough)?
 
Just... just... looks so damn AMAZING! Those needles came out brilliant! Will you try and make them more transparent by sanding them smooth or will you keep them rough (I actually like them rough)?
Thank you!!
I'll smooth the texture a little bit, but i'm trying to keep them opaque enough for them to light up nicely

If i ever make a second one, i'll laser cut a standard crystal shape and bevel the edges
making all of them random out of a square block was painful XD
 
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