KGSupreme
Member
tahu505 Took on a commission from me to make the 3D model for the M247 Machine Turret from "Halo Infinite". I think he did a spectacular job. After posting the model to his Etsy page he mentioned that there have been some people requesting a tutorial to assemble the thing.
So here we are, I will attempt to layout a thorough tutorial for anyone that would also like to build this absolute beast of a prop and have it on display. Be prepared to read a bit, I will also have plenty of photos to make it easy to understand. I'm writing this whole thing day by day as I am building it. It'll likely feel more like a "Build-along-adventure" instead of a legit tutorial.
**Disclaimer : There will be plenty of things I don't mention in the best detail, under the assumption that you may elect to do this in a different way. The main thing I want to get across is what parts of the models are where and how they connect. As an example, I'll be using adhesives that maybe you don't want to use or have a different preference, I'm not saying this is the only way to do it. Get creative. I may also miss something, I'll do my best to grab as many photos as I can as I go but remember I am also trying to figure this out as I go ahead of writing anything down here, it's possible I will forget. Feel free to ask questions.
The first thing I would recommend is the use of a 3D modeling program that gives you the full picture before you print anything. This will at least require you install/open something like 3D Builder(A free Microsoft 3D modeling program that I use, it's really simple). This is a great way to understand how the whole thing assembles before you might make mistakes with physical parts. It's also the program I am using side-by-side with the real thing. When you have the program open and you load all of the files from tahu505, the 3D models will position themselves into the fully assembled prop. It may take some adjustment to get things in the right spot depending on how you load each file, but that'll help learn how it goes together
Things you might need:
Approach the MG slowly, it doesn't like to be startled
I'm dividing this whole project into 4 main sections. This is how I sorted all of the parts before sending it out to print with each person that helped, and also how I tried to organize my thoughts with assembling this thing ahead of time. I will try my best to color code any words I use to describe what parts I am talking about with their corresponding section. Just to make it a bit easier to navigate some of my ramblings with associated photos
The Frame: Parts that really keep the whole thing together or need to be really strong. Better to bump up the wall count and infill on these prints
The Barrel and Shield: Don't need to be the strongest, better to make this light/low infill. A PVC pipe will reinforce as the core
Details: Good to make these with high detail and quality. More intricate than the other parts, depending on where they are on the whole build will change how strong you need to make the prints.
Tripod Legs: Make it really dense to give the whole assembly a great foundation, there will be studs to fit the legs to reduce print material/ add strength. No need to worry about weight as much here
*Using a mannequin model with the same height as you can give a great perspective for how huge this thing is.
Assemble the MG with care, it never forgets...
The Frame:
We're gonna start with the most complex section first and get it out of the way. As mentioned above these will be parts that really contribute to how strong the overall print is, it really provides all of the structure and the ways that you can carry it. Don't skimp on the density for these parts, it may add to weight but you'll appreciate it not breaking too easily. You can see in the 3D model how all of the frame wraps around and supports the tube and the details then meets up with the legs.
The rear of the frame is your "triggers" and operators position. There are 4 handles on this thing, two you would grab to make bad guys go away, and two that allow you to feel like Jorge for a bit(there is an Etilka version provided by 505Forge if you want that variation). These go together easily. Make sure you pay attention to the pointy engravings on the lower parts that stick into the frame, they line up with it(Will show you that soon).
Main Frame. Not sure what to really call this area. It holds the back of the Barrel, as well as the handles, and the hip. It's essential. Luckily these parts can only really fit one way, and you'll be able to click them together and try it out before final adhesives.
I started with the... Gunner Board? Idk what to call it, and I do not recall the filename association. Might have to go back and add those eventually. It's the part that I imagine marines would use to curate and display their Crayola Charcuterie when the gun is disassembled. Red is the best flavor btw
Two angled parts that match up with the above.
Some angled parts that hold up to the gunner rear sight area.
And the lower angled parts that meet up with the rounded tube near what I would call the "Hip" of the gun. Basically the place where the gun pivot meets the tripod.
And lastly on this area, the gunner rear sights
Put together, most all of these pieces will look like this(Ignore the one missing part in my photo).
I held off on attaching the Gun Handles/Triggers right way. It's easier to balance and store this part of the frame until later when more of the whole thing is assembled. This is how it'll be done later. There are points engraved on each handle that align with the baseplate of the frame or whatever I called that. Crayon dishware I think.
There is this bottom arm part that reaches down from the gunner board to the hip of the frame. I would hold off on adhering this until much later. You'll see why. This is how it fits together on it's own.
There are miscellaneous other parts of The Frame and The Details that connect or overlap with each other. I'll try my best to make mention of how they fit together and the order in which you should assemble them.
This cap with a hole in it near the rear of the tube that intersects with many other parts. Keep that off to the side for a bit along with it's detail friend. It incorporates the rear carry handle, a detail/control box, the rear end of the tube, and the bottom arm of this whole assembly that comes up from the gun hip. Don't get ahead of yourself, avoid attaching this one for a bit.
These parts will come together once we have more of the tube assembled. Keep them on hand for later.
Here is "the hip" that I have mentioned several times already. It's where the tripod mount meets the frame of the whole gun. It's designed to fit a PVC pipe up from the tripod mount. There will not be a locking mechanism by default so you can pick up the gun easily(Do you even lift?). It's also not designed to tilt, so the whole gun will turn left and right but will not point up or down. The hip is made of 3 parts, the hip itself, one cylinder that slides in through the sides, and a cube into the top. The top cube will cradle the tube later. Pretty straightforward, just need to pop these parts into place and adhere.
Make sure this top cub part is aligned like the photos below
Make sure the cylinder is aligned properly on the bottom of this hip part so it will look like a PVC pipe will fit, refer to photo
That will be it for all of what I consider the frame. Moving on to the next section.
The Barrel and Shield:
This is what I would consider the least complex section of the whole MG. The Barrel up front, the tube in the back, and the shield on top. Assemble each of these separately from each other and save for later.
The Barrel fits together like this. Make sure the details line up with each other, should be a flush surface from one part to the next. PVC pipe will fit through this barrel, if you find the right size PVC and print these models to scale without adjusting it, it'll be an easy fit.
The tube, or rear barrel if you wanna call it that. This part needs a bit more attention than the front barrel. There are multiple parts of the frame and some detail parts that fit into the tube in a specific way. I glued the middle and rear part of the tube together first, the middle part does not need to be aligned in any particular way other than meeting with the rear section. Get your PVC pipe in here and glue it, hold off on adhering the front part of the tube until later.
Front to the left in photo, rear to the right. The rear and mid sections match in diameter, the mid and front sections do not. Use PVC pipe to guide alignment
The rear of the tube has this small hole in it and a cylindrical groove on top. The smaller hole will fit the rear handle, the top groove cradles that rear gunner sight portion of the frame from earlier.
In this photo I have the tube assembled, but the front portion(top in this image) is not glued together. It's got the PVC pipe keeping it in place for now until I align things later.
The front part of this tube assembly attaches to box magazine, feed tube, rings that fit around the tube, supporting braces for the shield, and the front handles used to lift the gun during your Jorge impersonation. There are at least two holes on opposite sides that match up with several other detail parts later on.
In this photo I have all of these parts and pieces fitting together as a mock-up, not glued together yet. This should give you a better idea of why I am mentioning this now, do not glue stuff together until you know exactly how it lines up.
Gonna say it again. DO NOT GLUE/AFFIX THIS PART OF THE TUBE UNTIL YOU KNOW HOW IT LINES UP. I am saving that part for later for myself once I have everything else in place.
The Shield SHOULD be pretty straightforward, but I will make sure to show you how it fits together just in case. Most of these parts will only fit with their corresponding pieces. They are very much like a simple puzzle, you'll know it works with how easy they fit together
I would recommend assembling the top-half of the shield first, then the bottom-half, then glue the two together. Practice assembling the whole thing before you glue it together(I know I am saying this a lot, but it will catch mistakes before they become permanent). The top-half of the shield leans back towards the rear of the whole gun, towards the operators position.
If you are able to, use epoxy, Bondo, or some other reinforcing material to fill in the gaps and clean this up later. Gaps and seems between parts are noticeable
Some photos of the shield as I was assembling it. An example of how they slot together so you get an idea that they should only fit together one way.
There are some greebles, caps, studs that attach to the shield. Attach these whenever you would like, the pointy studs face forward on the shield, the rounded caps fit on the back side of the shield towards the frame and triggers. I'm going to wait until I finish cleaning up the shield with epoxy and Bondo to hide those gaps and layer lines.
*Remember not to confuse the shield studs with PB Cups. Unless you like eating 3D Printer plastic? I'm not judging(I am judging you harshly but silently)
Last thing that I labeled as part of the frame, but is likely more a part of the barrel. It's this supporting arm that runs under the length of the barrel. Easy to assemble, match the shape and plug in the slots. Can be attached to the barrel whenever you like, but I would say hold off until the muzzle is attached to the barrel
The Details:
Miscellaneous parts that fit in random spots on the gun, but don't contribute to overall structure or form of the barrel and shield. Most of these can really be attached whenever you want, will just depend on how you want to paint/finish.
Box Magazine and Support ring.
Even though it's not the most complicated assembly, there are a lot of parts for this. Box mag itself, a small box on the back, a feed chute, and others.
*My box mag got split in half to make it easier to print.
For the box mag and support ring, I assembled each separately for full assembly later. They are not difficult to attach, It's just the place where they attach on the tube is not completed yet, avoiding unnecessary hassle.
Details to be continued
**Move on to the next comment to read the remaining details about the details section. I am bad with words sometimes. Ran out of photo space for this comment. **
Edit 2 - Added more photos, changed text color for more association and easier to read for dark mode users, rearranged some areas to make more sense.
Edit 3 - Added more photos, finished the Frame and Tube sections, started on the Details section. More grammar/syntax adjustments
Edit 4 - More photos, transition from Details(Box Magazine) to the next comments
** More To Come will be added soon **
So here we are, I will attempt to layout a thorough tutorial for anyone that would also like to build this absolute beast of a prop and have it on display. Be prepared to read a bit, I will also have plenty of photos to make it easy to understand. I'm writing this whole thing day by day as I am building it. It'll likely feel more like a "Build-along-adventure" instead of a legit tutorial.
**Disclaimer : There will be plenty of things I don't mention in the best detail, under the assumption that you may elect to do this in a different way. The main thing I want to get across is what parts of the models are where and how they connect. As an example, I'll be using adhesives that maybe you don't want to use or have a different preference, I'm not saying this is the only way to do it. Get creative. I may also miss something, I'll do my best to grab as many photos as I can as I go but remember I am also trying to figure this out as I go ahead of writing anything down here, it's possible I will forget. Feel free to ask questions.
The first thing I would recommend is the use of a 3D modeling program that gives you the full picture before you print anything. This will at least require you install/open something like 3D Builder(A free Microsoft 3D modeling program that I use, it's really simple). This is a great way to understand how the whole thing assembles before you might make mistakes with physical parts. It's also the program I am using side-by-side with the real thing. When you have the program open and you load all of the files from tahu505, the 3D models will position themselves into the fully assembled prop. It may take some adjustment to get things in the right spot depending on how you load each file, but that'll help learn how it goes together
Things you might need:
- Adhesives and fasteners. I'll be using E600, Super Glue(Cyano Acrylate), and some miscellaneous screws/bolts. Hot glue could work, but with how big this thing is you really should find much stronger alternatives.
- 3D Printing capability. I don't own a 3D printer anymore, but I have many friends that contributed their printers to get this done. Including BlazingForge / Insta, thatdubejobo, GalacticWombat / Insta . SalLyrisse / Insta provided emotional support and finishing
- Paint. I'm using spraypaint and acrylic
- Tape of different types, for mock-up, glue support, and painting
- 3D Modeling program like mentioned above
- PVC Pipes, screws, bolts, wooden dowels, metal studs. tahu505 's files provided a part list for essential items, I will likely use some extra stuff.
- The 3D models from 505Forge. tahu505 did a great job building this thing in a very expensive 3D modeling program from scratch. He did not pull models from the game and modify those(definitely a no-no for TOS). Please support creators like this, without them we would not have highly detailed models for us to use. If you feel like supporting me, buy me a drink when we meet up at a convention(GO TO C2E2).
Approach the MG slowly, it doesn't like to be startled
I'm dividing this whole project into 4 main sections. This is how I sorted all of the parts before sending it out to print with each person that helped, and also how I tried to organize my thoughts with assembling this thing ahead of time. I will try my best to color code any words I use to describe what parts I am talking about with their corresponding section. Just to make it a bit easier to navigate some of my ramblings with associated photos
The Frame: Parts that really keep the whole thing together or need to be really strong. Better to bump up the wall count and infill on these prints
The Barrel and Shield: Don't need to be the strongest, better to make this light/low infill. A PVC pipe will reinforce as the core
Details: Good to make these with high detail and quality. More intricate than the other parts, depending on where they are on the whole build will change how strong you need to make the prints.
Tripod Legs: Make it really dense to give the whole assembly a great foundation, there will be studs to fit the legs to reduce print material/ add strength. No need to worry about weight as much here
*Using a mannequin model with the same height as you can give a great perspective for how huge this thing is.
Assemble the MG with care, it never forgets...
The Frame:
We're gonna start with the most complex section first and get it out of the way. As mentioned above these will be parts that really contribute to how strong the overall print is, it really provides all of the structure and the ways that you can carry it. Don't skimp on the density for these parts, it may add to weight but you'll appreciate it not breaking too easily. You can see in the 3D model how all of the frame wraps around and supports the tube and the details then meets up with the legs.
The rear of the frame is your "triggers" and operators position. There are 4 handles on this thing, two you would grab to make bad guys go away, and two that allow you to feel like Jorge for a bit(there is an Etilka version provided by 505Forge if you want that variation). These go together easily. Make sure you pay attention to the pointy engravings on the lower parts that stick into the frame, they line up with it(Will show you that soon).
Main Frame. Not sure what to really call this area. It holds the back of the Barrel, as well as the handles, and the hip. It's essential. Luckily these parts can only really fit one way, and you'll be able to click them together and try it out before final adhesives.
I started with the... Gunner Board? Idk what to call it, and I do not recall the filename association. Might have to go back and add those eventually. It's the part that I imagine marines would use to curate and display their Crayola Charcuterie when the gun is disassembled. Red is the best flavor btw
Two angled parts that match up with the above.
Some angled parts that hold up to the gunner rear sight area.
And the lower angled parts that meet up with the rounded tube near what I would call the "Hip" of the gun. Basically the place where the gun pivot meets the tripod.
And lastly on this area, the gunner rear sights
Put together, most all of these pieces will look like this(Ignore the one missing part in my photo).
I held off on attaching the Gun Handles/Triggers right way. It's easier to balance and store this part of the frame until later when more of the whole thing is assembled. This is how it'll be done later. There are points engraved on each handle that align with the baseplate of the frame or whatever I called that. Crayon dishware I think.
There is this bottom arm part that reaches down from the gunner board to the hip of the frame. I would hold off on adhering this until much later. You'll see why. This is how it fits together on it's own.
There are miscellaneous other parts of The Frame and The Details that connect or overlap with each other. I'll try my best to make mention of how they fit together and the order in which you should assemble them.
This cap with a hole in it near the rear of the tube that intersects with many other parts. Keep that off to the side for a bit along with it's detail friend. It incorporates the rear carry handle, a detail/control box, the rear end of the tube, and the bottom arm of this whole assembly that comes up from the gun hip. Don't get ahead of yourself, avoid attaching this one for a bit.
These parts will come together once we have more of the tube assembled. Keep them on hand for later.
Here is "the hip" that I have mentioned several times already. It's where the tripod mount meets the frame of the whole gun. It's designed to fit a PVC pipe up from the tripod mount. There will not be a locking mechanism by default so you can pick up the gun easily(Do you even lift?). It's also not designed to tilt, so the whole gun will turn left and right but will not point up or down. The hip is made of 3 parts, the hip itself, one cylinder that slides in through the sides, and a cube into the top. The top cube will cradle the tube later. Pretty straightforward, just need to pop these parts into place and adhere.
Make sure this top cub part is aligned like the photos below
Make sure the cylinder is aligned properly on the bottom of this hip part so it will look like a PVC pipe will fit, refer to photo
That will be it for all of what I consider the frame. Moving on to the next section.
The Barrel and Shield:
This is what I would consider the least complex section of the whole MG. The Barrel up front, the tube in the back, and the shield on top. Assemble each of these separately from each other and save for later.
The Barrel fits together like this. Make sure the details line up with each other, should be a flush surface from one part to the next. PVC pipe will fit through this barrel, if you find the right size PVC and print these models to scale without adjusting it, it'll be an easy fit.
The tube, or rear barrel if you wanna call it that. This part needs a bit more attention than the front barrel. There are multiple parts of the frame and some detail parts that fit into the tube in a specific way. I glued the middle and rear part of the tube together first, the middle part does not need to be aligned in any particular way other than meeting with the rear section. Get your PVC pipe in here and glue it, hold off on adhering the front part of the tube until later.
Front to the left in photo, rear to the right. The rear and mid sections match in diameter, the mid and front sections do not. Use PVC pipe to guide alignment
The rear of the tube has this small hole in it and a cylindrical groove on top. The smaller hole will fit the rear handle, the top groove cradles that rear gunner sight portion of the frame from earlier.
In this photo I have the tube assembled, but the front portion(top in this image) is not glued together. It's got the PVC pipe keeping it in place for now until I align things later.
The front part of this tube assembly attaches to box magazine, feed tube, rings that fit around the tube, supporting braces for the shield, and the front handles used to lift the gun during your Jorge impersonation. There are at least two holes on opposite sides that match up with several other detail parts later on.
In this photo I have all of these parts and pieces fitting together as a mock-up, not glued together yet. This should give you a better idea of why I am mentioning this now, do not glue stuff together until you know exactly how it lines up.
Gonna say it again. DO NOT GLUE/AFFIX THIS PART OF THE TUBE UNTIL YOU KNOW HOW IT LINES UP. I am saving that part for later for myself once I have everything else in place.
The Shield SHOULD be pretty straightforward, but I will make sure to show you how it fits together just in case. Most of these parts will only fit with their corresponding pieces. They are very much like a simple puzzle, you'll know it works with how easy they fit together
I would recommend assembling the top-half of the shield first, then the bottom-half, then glue the two together. Practice assembling the whole thing before you glue it together(I know I am saying this a lot, but it will catch mistakes before they become permanent). The top-half of the shield leans back towards the rear of the whole gun, towards the operators position.
If you are able to, use epoxy, Bondo, or some other reinforcing material to fill in the gaps and clean this up later. Gaps and seems between parts are noticeable
Some photos of the shield as I was assembling it. An example of how they slot together so you get an idea that they should only fit together one way.
There are some greebles, caps, studs that attach to the shield. Attach these whenever you would like, the pointy studs face forward on the shield, the rounded caps fit on the back side of the shield towards the frame and triggers. I'm going to wait until I finish cleaning up the shield with epoxy and Bondo to hide those gaps and layer lines.
*Remember not to confuse the shield studs with PB Cups. Unless you like eating 3D Printer plastic? I'm not judging(I am judging you harshly but silently)
Last thing that I labeled as part of the frame, but is likely more a part of the barrel. It's this supporting arm that runs under the length of the barrel. Easy to assemble, match the shape and plug in the slots. Can be attached to the barrel whenever you like, but I would say hold off until the muzzle is attached to the barrel
The Details:
Miscellaneous parts that fit in random spots on the gun, but don't contribute to overall structure or form of the barrel and shield. Most of these can really be attached whenever you want, will just depend on how you want to paint/finish.
Box Magazine and Support ring.
Even though it's not the most complicated assembly, there are a lot of parts for this. Box mag itself, a small box on the back, a feed chute, and others.
*My box mag got split in half to make it easier to print.
For the box mag and support ring, I assembled each separately for full assembly later. They are not difficult to attach, It's just the place where they attach on the tube is not completed yet, avoiding unnecessary hassle.
Details to be continued
**Move on to the next comment to read the remaining details about the details section. I am bad with words sometimes. Ran out of photo space for this comment. **
Edit 2 - Added more photos, changed text color for more association and easier to read for dark mode users, rearranged some areas to make more sense.
Edit 3 - Added more photos, finished the Frame and Tube sections, started on the Details section. More grammar/syntax adjustments
Edit 4 - More photos, transition from Details(Box Magazine) to the next comments
** More To Come will be added soon **
Last edited:
