The Seriously Ultimate Assault Rifle Build

[Metalfr3q]

Metalfr3q has also made a closer to actual scale pep of the assault rifle, which has allowed us to better work out how to construct the rifle.

The stock will be made from laminated MDF sheets, with the outer most pieces extending all the way down the side of the gun. The top, end and bottom of the gun will probably be pepped and fiberglassed, with actual rubber used in the grips.

Well, looks like im off to Bunnings!



- Hi ho silver!!



Also, Been having a further look into other weapon builds, and have discovered an alternative for pepping, at least for the hand grip, that will further strengthen the rifle overall. Im a bit ashamed to say that this should have been one of the 1st things to come to mind being a sparky, cause i work with the stuff all the freaking time! ... PVC *palmface* the amount of stuff u can do with it is extensive. rigid/corrugated conduit, couplers, bends, j-boxes, endcaps, bungs, all pvc can be cut down, modified, even remoulded (providing you apply the right amount of heat and skill so as not to set the stuff on fire.. flaming PVC = bad for the koalas. AND YOU!!)



so heres hoping to a successful build. if not, a pile of burning mess may be in its place.

 

[Tyvern]

judging by the amount of time, planning, electronics, blood and sweat involved this might be a very expensive kit if you ever do make one.



BTW this really is a very awesome model of the assault rifle you guys are making

 

[scptg2099]

Great Looks like it should work and i cant wait to see it done are you going to make a video to show sound and recoil when you are done

???

 

[Sir Tsaboc]

Whoa, man. That assault rifle sure looks big, but I'm sure it's going to turn out incredible. This is well thought out.

 

[TERRA Operative]

Ok. I've just printed out the blueprints available on this site at full scale (880mm from butt to end of the barrel). 16 pages of A3 paper later.....



It's still looking pretty big... I might have a look at some screen shots with the rifle on master Chief's back, then scale it from there and see how big it turns out at 'human' scale.

Metalfr3q is coming around tonight, we'll see what we can figure out.







[EDIT]



Here's the printed blueprints stuck to the wall, with Metalfr3q's pretty face for size reference.

 

[Metalfr3q]

Here's the printed blueprints stuck to the wall, with Metalfr3q's pretty face for size reference.

Btw, thats not my good side

 

[TERRA Operative]

Small update:



I tested the strobe the other day, but it currently doesn't flash. I've used a big U type globe (bigger than what I'll use for the completed rifle) and I think it's too big for the circuit to drive.

The circuit charges the capacitors to 330V etc all properly, so it's just a matter of sourcing some smaller globes, which I've managed to do from the same place I got the photo flash capacitors from.



I've also made some big changes to the PCB to make it a bit more refined, and to fit the HUGE main firing capacitor. (the thing is over an inch in diameter, and over two inches long!....)

I've gone to a 2 sided PCB too and rearranged the component layout to make it a bit more elegant.





Moar updates to come after this weekend (we're going to supernova..)

 

[TERRA Operative]

We had fun tonight.

We've got the stock and sides of the rifle worked out. We are using 3mm MDF for the sides and thicker MDF laminated in between to create a hollow structure where needed for things like the magazine and internal electronics.

So far we have the side pieces cut (enough for 4 rifles) bit we need to get some thicker stuff for the center pieces. The grip, front and top hood will be made of fiberglass most probably and bolted/screwed on in the game accurate locations so the rifle can be opened up easily as required.



Here's the pics so far....

 

[thatdecade]

Looking good. Def put me down to buy one of your sound kits.



lol, I have that same tshirt. Voids warrenties. Ha!

 

[TERRA Operative]

We plan on casting a run of these rifles too (hence the reason we are making four of them, two for casting). They will be *fully* detailed shells ready for paint and electronics, so once they're done, and I get access to the sale forums, we'll be offering these for members.



I'll have to start working on the sound modules next week. I've almost got all I need to start prototyping them. They will be available with the weapon sounds of any one weapon (except the plasma sword, I couldn't get decent sounds for it yet) and changing the sound the module plays will be as simple as swapping the chip over to a new one.





Heh, the shirt suits me. I'm always pulling things apart just for the hell of it and to see what I can mod....

 

[thatdecade]

PM me and I can send you some sword sound samples that I recorded.

 

[TERRA Operative]

Moar updates.



We got the 'core' of one gun together tonight. You'll see in the pictures that there is a box section along where the barrel would be inside the gun. Now, having experience with gunsmithing (my father made guns, and his best friend owns a gun store and builds guns too), I have a good idea of the mechanics of how guns are designed and built.

One thing that has slightly irked me about the previous MA5C builds, (and this in no way detracts from any one else's build, I'm just one hell of a perfectionist ) is the fact that no one builds the rifle with the vents made to show the barrel inside.



So we are fixing that. You will see a mock up of the barrel as it will be installed when finished, visible through the vents (remember, the MA5C is an air cooled rifle) to give the gun a more real-world '3-dimensional' look

This build isn't perfectly square yet, and we are learning as we go (I used a router for the first time....), but the next ones will be more refined in their actual build.



We are making the hand grip and stock from solid MDF to give it enough strength to withstand anything that we throw at it, and the box section at the front makes that end really strong too. The trigger will have a recess carved into the hand grip to slide into when pressed with a return spring and a switch inside.

The two recoil units will sit one on top of the handgrip, inside where the firing chamber would be, with the other in the 'hood' just in front of the readout. The battery and strobe circuit will be in the hand grip area with the microprocessor between the readout and the recoil unit.







Oh, and I bought some interesting things at the Supernova convention today too.....

 

[Nomad]

Dude that sounds really cool hope it turns out really good man

 

[tomvdog]

OH I Love the barrel it looks so good guys keep up the great work.

 

[jake11124]

Badass unlocked! :eek I hope i can access the classifieds by the time you start selling these

 

[Burke]

This is gonna be a quality build for sure.

 

[TERRA Operative]

Small update:



I'm currently looking into rapid prototyping to enable us to make molds easily to fiberglass the top hood and bottom handgrip, probably the sides and stock as well. All pending price of course.....

 

[Metalfr3q]

I'm currently looking into rapid prototyping to enable us to make molds easily to fiberglass the top hood and bottom handgrip, probably the sides and stock as well. All pending price of course.....

And i have currently broken everyone of those clamps pictured above . But they were CHEAP!!! (really, really cheap) Replaced them with construction grade clamps... AND THEY ARE AWESOME! Now i understand why everyone working with wood loves clamps ( and needs more.. always more. MUST. GET. MORE. CLAMPS)



*ahem* anyway. assembly on the remaining guns is underway, still a little unsure what to make the handgrip and top-piece sections. Suggestions anyone?

I've thought of fabricating the sections out of solid wood, a light timber like balsa or pine or whatever "craft wood" is, my other idea was continuing with the laminated MDF sheets and apply builders bog then sand it back to get the necessary curvature.



...then there's that "other" idea which involves empty beer cans, duct tape and expanding foam. But that could get messy (specially after emptying the beer cans first :lol )



Any further suggestions or advice would be much appreciated. Cheers.

 

[thatdecade]

I vote against using expanding foam. It warps and deflates after a few days.

 

[TERRA Operative]

I use the expanding foam in body panels in my cars to prevent vibration from sub woofers. Mainly in areas like the struts in the boot lid etc. That stuff has been there for over a year in my current car with no sign of letting up at all.



I wouldn't use it for structural support though, more to add a bit of extra rigidity. There is actually a Japanese race team who inject a high density version of the stuff into the chassis rails of their cars to do exactly that.





More thought is needed. Does anyone know of any good rapid-prototyping places in Australia??