boomshakra

Here it is, almost "finished"...still not happy with the muzzle cone, but have an idea of how to fix that. Not really sure about the weathering...didn't turn out quite as planned. I'm also on the fence about adding a trigger. It would have to be glued in there without any really good way of securing it, aside from drilling in from the top & bottom and inserting a nail to keep it in place. I have one cut out & painted...so it might still happen In the last two you can see my attempt at the rear sight leaf...it's a place holder for the most part, but I thought it needed more than just the t-tracks along the barrel. The same goes with the front sight - both are just wood scraps painted & glued as a visual effect. But, I have another stock & receiver assembled, just have to bust out with the belt sander again & use the experience from this one to make the Mk II even better!

Here are the "finished" pictures. Thanks for the tip on painting behind the trigger, Rob! I'm happy with how it turned out. I do need to make a new Hengstler bracket, but am too lazy to finish that off right now...sorry about the slightly blurry pictures...damn phone camera... Thanks again to everyone for their input & encouragement!

"Finished" product - not really pleased with the weathering on this one, and I still need to get a lens for the scope (thanks for the tip, Noah!)...but everything else is glued, screwed & painted:

I got my Hasbro blaster long before I got the Doopys conversion kit, so while waiting for my full resin kit to dry (paint or glue) I did some prep work on it in anticipation of the kit: Filed down the t-track Cut the end of the barrel off...and the LED in the process...oops found a dowel to use as a barrel and drilled more vent holes. Whoops, didn't get them all straight. No problem, when I use a larger bit to finish them up, that will take care of itself, right? Wrong The plastic didn't like the large bit at all - cracks inbetween holes, some holes more ripped than drilled. Bummer. So, I grabbed the round bastard rasp and improvised with some 'oversize' vent holes: The larger holes will help with the cooling problems E-11s have when taking precise, accurate shots Drilled out the rear rail & went back with a flat rasp: Finally - the kit arrived! On my full resin build, I mangled the muzzle when trying to drill a place to glue the hex bolt heads. This time I drilled smaller holes and used the round bastard again to finish the job: Much better result: Busted out the glue and started putting it together No pictures of the primer/hammered coat painting. I did mask the areas where I would be gluing the stock, and then put the coat of flat black along the inside of the stock and on the blaster itself - that way, when I do the final coat of flat black, the hard-to-reach areas would be covered. When I went to glue the stock, the ends above the grip kept slipping and I couldn't get a clamp on there properly to apply direct pressure. So, I placed one clamp so that the ends would keep the stock in position, and then another to press the stock ends to the blaster body: The blaster is currently in some stage of paint-drying, so that's all for now. One thing I did notice about the kit was the Hengstler had something funny going on. The 'vent holes' below the fuses is cut all the way through to the mounting recess. In other words, if you look at it from the front, you can see inside. I didn't bother putting something in there to cover the holes, just applied the black paint a bit liberally there. I should be able to start weathering it once I do the final coat of flat black tonight. Oh, and I need to find a 'lens' for the scope (used a tape dispenser ring since the original was mangled during disassembly).

From the day I sent my deposit to Rob my ambition was to build my armor to EIB and Centurion standards from the get-go. All the additional parts (side rivets/s-trim/handpainted decals/etc) are assembled and waiting. I got the email today that my armor should ship next week - looking forward to joining not only the 501st ranks, but beyond

Awesome - I cannot cut a straight line to save my life, so this will be a tremendous help for me! Thanks, Vern!

Getting closer - found a more acceptable muzzle cone (not pictured) and have primered the top cover (also not pictured).I have everything else painted, and will experiment wtih weathering it once it all dries. Oh,the front site will hopefully be mounted next time.

I'm using the ones off of empire props - they're a good guideline for the shape, but if you're going for any level of detail they leave a bit to be desired. I would recommend having a plethora of screen shots/close-ups of both the real MG-34 and the DLT-19 handy before you start cutting. I have found some pictures on-line that include measurements of the lengths of the different parts (stock, receiver, barrel, overall length, etc.). I emailed a copy of the templates to my Dad (he has access to a full wood shop, whereas I have mostly hand tools) and when he printed the templates out they didn't quite match up. Some of the parts he cut are disproportionate to what I cut, even though we used the same template. It might be that he's a bet technologically challenged when it comes to the computer, so they may not have printed correctly. But if nothing else, it's a fun creative exercise and relatively inexpensive - I have spent less than $50 for materials, and if you have scrap 3/4" width hardwood lying around you can do it for a lot less. The end result will end up being a passing replica of the DLT-19 that I can use for trooping - I'll keep saving my pennies to get a Hyperfirm someday. I started on the last coat of paint last night/this morning, so I might have some pictures tomorrow - it's about 80% complete. I need to fiddle with the top cover and finish off the front sight and mount it to the barrel. I am still looking for a better cone for the muzzle than what I have pictured above. Using a cut-down funnel (as mentioned on the empire props tutoral) is worse-looking than what I have currently, and the top to a mouthwash bottle isn't much better (and doesn't fit into the end of the PVC barrel). On a weird note, last night I dreamt that my finished product measured over 6' long! This morning I went out to the garage & measured it to make sure it is still around the actual 48" it is supposed to be

The belt sander helped tremendously in removing material...in some spots a little too much. I didn't smooth everything out as well as I wanted to, but I have another stock/receiver waiting in the wings, so I plan on being more precise with that one. For now, I just want to get this one done...so much for the patience I had when building my E-11! You can see that even sanded down, the proportions of the stock and receiver are off...the templates I used are a little suspect, so next time around I'll try to get better measurements before I start cutting everything down. First coat of primer on: And painted the pistol grip as well. This will stay flat black, the grooved grips that will go on here are hammered black so they have a bit of a sheen to them. I should have those installed tonight. I had originally thought I would sacrifice a rake to get t-tracks, but looking at them they are way too wide. So I wandered around Lowe's for a bit, knowing I would be able to find something more suitable...and I did. I used the sliding track for a screen door. I cut them down to the different sizes for where they go on the barrel, and then it was just score & snap: Here they are glued on. I notched them at the ends and wrapped wire around them after this picture was taken. This morning I sprayed down the stock & back end of the receiver with hammered black and will finish that off tonight, followed by the flat black in the morning. Hopefully I will have it in somewhat assembled by Wednesday. I'm working on a front sight and still have the metal top cover to paint/install, so this is far from complete. I also picked up a rubber washer for the conical disc and cut a small piece of wood to mount that to before installing it on the left grip. It's a bit small, but the grips are disproportionate anyways. I have covered all the 'canon' accessories...but this will be one ugly DLT-19 when it is done. I was very happy to see that Hyperfirms are available again

I will also be watching this thread - less than a month (hopefully) until my kit ships from Rob. Thanks for including pictures of your Hyperfirm E-11 - I haven't seen one up close, but it is on my 'to buy' list (along with one of their DLT-19s).

Gold Five: "...Stay on Target...Stay on Target..." Sorry, couldn't resist...

I haven't done any more receiver work and the stock is a temporary joining (obviously haven't done any more work on it, either). I'll have access to a belt sander this weekend, so hopefully I'll have some progress to report. The middle clamp and bolt for the bipod have since been painted black. I can't stand the way that bottle top looks for the muzzle...that will be replaced soon!

so is the strip 1.5" including the snaps, or 1.5" between the snaps? [O=O] (with the = sign being 1.5, the "O" being a snap) or [OO], 1.5" total length? Thanks.

Thanks - it is going to be a very rough replica when it is all said & done - it has stimulated my creativity, no doubt about that! Should I ever fabricate another one I'll know what to do up front to save me some labor...like cutting straight lines. My dad is bringing me his belt sander when he comes up this weekend, so that should help with getting the stock shaped down. I have callouses on top of my callouses from all the rasping I have done so far . But, once I get a few things finished up here & there that I started last night, it is coming together better than I expected (off-set holes notwithstanding). We'll see how it goes with the metal top-cover I am planning to cut sometime this week - that should be interesting... True dat - was hoping to catch him at the Revival in Austin this weekend, but it isn't looking like that will happen

I was going to leave the area forward of the feed channel alone...but decided to trim it down and try to shape it more like the MG-34...Limited by my tool selection, this will be a tedious (at best) exercise, but good for experimentation if nothing else. First I cut notches down the area to be trimmed down: Then came back and cut out the notches. Since I am using a coping saw, it helped me go a bit straighter to cut the notches out instead of going the length I wanted to remove: Still very rough. Started filing down the groove on the right side. I will probably cut a dowel in half and glue it on for the desired effect: There is a 'notch' that goes on the left side that I started on using a chisel, but I need to be very careful cutting that out. Oh, and here is the detail of the PVC muzzle: . I couldn't get a mouthwash bottle top to fit, so I am using the end of a Dr Pepper 20oz bottle (for now)

With a little work and determination using a coping saw and bastard rasp, I got some work done on the stock. There is plenty to be done - the middle area needs to be cut down a LOT, plus smoothing out the grooves left from the drill. I cut too deep on the right side towards the top, and there isn't much I can do with it but smooth around it. The off-set barrel hole and the off-set stock hole Nothing I can do with those, but once it is all painted it isn't terribly obvious. With the barrel, I can push the PVC connector down flush to the face of the receiver and it straightens it all out - flush & perpendicular...but off-set. I have some ideas as to how to attach the stock, so that will work out one way or another. Detail on the grips: That wood is thirsty! First coat of hammered black over a primer coat (probably should have used 2 on primer). I'll add another coat or two of hammered and probably leave it at that. The rest of the blaster will get a coat of flat black over the hammered - I like how it turned out on my E-11.

Since I have time on my hands after my E-11 build and don't know when my Hasbro kit will (ever) arrive, I started back on my DLT-19 project. I used the templates found on Empire Props and after doing a sloppy job on the receiver I shelved it (not totally my fault-using hand saws & rasps...straight lines do not happen that easily). This will be a trooping toy only, so while there is a LOT that can be added as far as details, I'm just going with some basic stuff. Only one phone pic - will try to get more uploaded later with a proper camera. One challenge I have had so far is the stock. Following the template, it called for 3 pieces of 3/4" hardwood sandwiched together...and it is HUGE. I have it cut down to a rough shape, but it needs to taper from the receiver end to the shoulder mount...and as I said, I have a rasp...there is a lot of material that needs to be taken off (as you can see in the picture). But, it needed that much wood to match up to the receiver. Connecting the two has its own set of challenges, as the hole for the pvc-to-pvc connection I was originally going to go with is off-center. Hand drill with a 1-1/4" spade bit did not go well... I got a sheet of 1/16" steel today that I will attempt to fabricate as a cover for the feed tray on the receiver. As I said, it won't be very canon, but just something else to carry around and 'pew-pew-pew' with. What is not shown (yet) is the bipod and muzzle - paint is drying, maybe tomorrow.

The sporting fan parallel is spot-on. They wear the uniform of someone paid millions of dollars to play a children's game and that is accepted as normal. That's what sports fans do for fun and recreation - and that's great! 501st Legion members dress up in our respective uniforms and troop for fun and recreation...and raise money/awareness for causes, hospital visits, etc. Sporting organizations have their share of charities they donate to as well. It's all good at the end of the day. If what the 501st does is perceived as 'nerdy' or we 'should grow up & stop playing dress-up', so what? Just as the uniform of a sports team is recongizeable by fans and non-fans alike, Star Wars is pretty much universally recognized - how many people want to have a picture taken of themselves or their kiddos standing next to Darth Vader or a Stormtrooper? One of the first things that popped into my head when I decided to order my armor so I could join the 501st was how I could use it to help some of the charitable causes I support locally - Stormtrooper armor draws attention. If I am trooping next to an organizations table, people are more likely come by to get their picture taken with me (or other troopers) and maybe get more information about whatever cause we're trooping for. And as was mentioned above, armor/prop making inspires a level of personal creativity and satisfaction from what you create, whether it is armor, a new blaster, or figuring out how to finally fabricate that elusive greeble you've been needing. I haven't had any exposure to cosplay/LARPing, outside of hearing about local renissiance fares, so I can't really comment on people who participate in that (and that parallel might not even be accurate) They may also be embacing their 'inner nerd' - and following their passion while meeting others who share that passion. Kade's post above is what it is all about. Happy Trooping!

Good to hear you got your order - did you get the full kit or just a hasbro upgrade? They're fun to build - finally finished weathering mine & have it displayed in my office (which naturally generated an eye-roll from my wife). *sigh* still no contact from Doopys...money is still sitting there...bummer dude.

For the life of me I do not know why their site will not process my order - I get through the page that you enter your name, address, etc. When I click to pay via CC/Paypal, it takes me to a blank page. I've tried it in both Firefox and IE...no dice. The email address I used to send my paypal on 4/26 was one that they provided me after the first time I had that issue - they told me some customers use that instead of the web site (you just tell them what you're ordering in the comments section). It is the lack of communication from them that is most frustrating - I don't have a problem with it taking 3-4 weeks to get here, I just want to know my order has been processed...

Yes, my PP account shows when I sent funds. As of this morning the payment is still unclaimed. All of my communication has referenced the order date - I have emailed them from both email accounts I have previously received communication from them on as well as through ebay. I am still giving them the benefit of the doubt, as my full kit took almost 4 weeks, but in that case I used an 'echeck' instead of instant transfer, so it took a couple of days to clear. I am frustrated at the lack of communication on their end, though. Going forward I will be purchasing from Hyperfirm or Sci-fire for any E-11 needs (once they start selling again). At the risk of speaking negative about a vendor, my experience with Doopys leaves a lot to be desired.

I haven't received my armor to build yet, but perhaps get some (non-industrial strength) velcro to get everything where you want it & then go back with snap plates and the connecting elasting/webbing (cut to fit)? Just a thought. Of course, if you are going to use elastic you will need to take into account some stretch - over the shoulder to connect your chest/back, for example. Good luck!

Interesting - my last order with them was from their ebay store (paid via paypal) and no problems. With that order there was no tracking #, so if they follow the same shipping I am not sure how PP would know that it was received (since it is not thru ebay). I'll see if Doopys responds to my inquiries (which is hit-or-mis from past experience) or if the kit shows up in a couple of days - only 2 weeks out from order date, and it took closer to 3 last time. The 'unclaimed' funds for my payment that I can see on my PP account had me a little concerned that the order hasn't technically been placed. I wasn't able order directly from their web site because I had the same problem last time around - the order page wouldn't connect to PayPal for some reason. Unfortunately, the Hasbro Upgrade kit is not something they sell on their ebay store...

Has anyone ordered from Doopydoos recently? I sent payment (via paypal) for an E-11 Hasbro upgrade kit on 4/26, but the payment has not been collected as of today, so I have no idea if my order has been processed.

17 gauge fence wire wrapped around a 1/2" piece of PVC worked for me. The wire is a bit skinny, but I'm happy with it.