In getting ready for the huge fiberglass job I realized that I still had some internal and external geometry to solve, mostly centered on the pistol grip. The designers for NECA discovered that the game render weapon doesn't make for a comfortable trigger position (unless you are Ungoy or Kig-Yar apparently). In producing their toy (prop-ish), they grossly misshaped the pistol grip to be comfortable to the human hand as well has make room for the large, cheap switches they fit inside.
So, my double challenge was to reprofile the grip externally to match the game model, as well as figure out the internal switch arrangement. The biggest issue with the switch arrangement is that the switches have to be serviceable from inside the gun once the mods are finished. In the original prop, the switches can be removed by disassembling the toy with the 30-some screws used to hold it into a squeaky loose formation of plastic parts. Once I fiberglass the major parts together into a space frame (including the pistol grip), that avenue will not be available. So, my switches will have to insert from above via the opening in the floor of the upper body. More on the switch solution in a later post.
Here is the game model of the pistol grip:
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And here is the donor prop as originally shipped:
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This required a lot of Dremel Tool work and copious quantities of thick super glue to hold in place. What I have now looks rough, but won't be a lot of trouble to fiberglass internally and Bondo externally. Still, the profile is much more accurate and that ugly over-extended trigger will be a thing of the past.
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The next tasks here will be to fill in the rest of the rectangular space in the trigger guard and begin fiberglassing internally. I'll do that by glassing each half first where I can to get the best access and therefore the lowest profile fiberglass work. As a refresher, the goal of fibergalssing the whole thing internally is twofold: Create a rattle-free and incredibly strong space frame from which to hang all the other components. secondly, the toughen the outer surface to withstand hard hits from airsoft BBs.
Here's a final comparison of the render, the original and my mods:
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Hopefully, the next post will feature fiberglassing.
Redshirt
Guess who's not coming back from the Slayer match--the guy in the Red Shirt
Signature Project: Halo 3 Working Airsoft Spartan Laser in Metal & Fiberglass
