Dark CMF

Thank you, Steve. I always appreciate getting comments like yours from the "masters" (as previously identified in my thread). It does instill a bit of confidence in my methodology! I'll go ahead and post the current batch of pictures that I have for this weekends work (so far). I may have to come back later and edit the post to give you a full description, as we're getting ready to head to a two-year old's birthday party. Here's what's been done so far this weekend: I took my ruler, and drew lines on the blaster so that I'd have "center" lines for the paper drilling templates to be lined up on before drilling. Here you see the "rear sight" taped into place. If you look closely, you will see a line drawn on the center of the paper "pieces" too. I folded the paper in half, and drew the line in the fold, to ensure that even if my holes were drilled slightly off-center, they'll still be in the proper place when I drill them onto the blaster for assembly. Magazine well in place, again, you will see the line drawn on the paper part before taping it to the blaster for drilling. Pistol grip, in place using the same procedure. Stock latch... Finally, the bayonet lug! As I expected, there is a bit of work that will still need to be done before I begin gluing. The pins are a bit long - by design. I'd rather have them be too long and trim-able than to short, and need to go and cut new ones. I'll be breaking out the rotary tool later, to address this issue. I'll probably cut them down by about 1/3 of their current size to ensure that all of the parts get a good close fit. I'll also be cross-hatching the parts before gluing, but I'll get into that later - when I get ready to start gluing. Here it is, with all of the pinned parts in their approximate, eventual glue position! Top view. I may have to do some adjusting of the rear sight's location before I glue it. Or, possibly remove one pin to ensure that it is straight. I'll see what is possible with the pins, before I take any drastic measures. Almost looking "down the barrel." One last picture before taking it apart again. LoL. So, that's what's been done (so far) this weekend. Please, leave comments, questions, observations, etc... I'll be happy to see what any of you have to offer up, and as always, thanks for taking the time to follow along/read my build thread!

Another installment will be coming along sometime this weekend!

Glen... You're so punny.

Wow... Looks like it would need some really extensive modifications, with the new/different barrel design, and that's without seeing the other side.

Keep at it, Martin!! You're nearly there, and looking good!

Very, very cool!!

Brilliant! Congratulations on your approval, and best of luck/enjoyment for your troop coming up! Looking forward to your discoveries on the project as well!

Thanks, Vern. I hope all is going well with your father.

Thanks, Steve. I actually hadn't seen any in my area, but a store locator search reveals that there are a couple of them tucked away somewhere down here. I'll check it out next time I'm in town!

I had come to the conclusion that they were probably #2 nuts and bolts, but I can't find them on the shelves anywhere... #4s are just too big, in comparing them to the ones in the pictures, and the resin casts on the Doopydoos part.

Vern, What size are the screws and nuts actually supposed to be? That's making me crazy trying to find it. Is there a definitive blaster measurements thread/resource that I've simply not discovered yet? (Besides picking your brain...)

Looking great, Steve! Really impressive work and thought process with that magazine. Question (as I'm struggling to find it anywhere else), what size were the screws and nuts that you put into the cylinders? Thanks for sharing...

Believe me, I fully understand that last bit that you mentioned. I've been going almost full crazy with mine. LoL - but much like you, I'm loving the experience!! Can't wait to see your upcoming progress. Good luck with your armor, too!

Definitely some impressive work! Looking great!

Looks good, Ian! How did your lights turn out after paint was applied? Still working as you'd hoped?

The belt is not trimmed down. It should be trimmed (the top and bottom) to the tops and bottoms of the ammo boxes, that's why it looks awful big. Trimming it will also assist when it comes time to put the snaps on the abs to raise the belt a little bit higher.

Day #10 - Cutting the assembly pins. So here's what was being worked with on day 10 of the build. The pieces that I drilled out on day 9, a coat hanger, and tin snips. Also, safety goggles. If you do this the way that I did it, the risk of flying metal will be reduced, but it is still a possibility and as of right now, your eyes cannot be replaced with functional prostheses. It's better to be safe, than sorry. Starting with the bayonet lug. You can see that I have pushed the coat hanger into the hole drilled into the resin piece. As I mentioned earlier, I'm doing it this way to reduce the possibility that a pin will come flying into an eye when it is cut. I didn't have any do it while cutting the pins tonight. An "in-progress" pic, of the work in progress. Bayonet lug, completed! On now, to bigger things! Stock latch, pin number 1. Pin number 1 completed, preparing for pin 2. Stock latch pin 2 prepared for cutting. Stock latch ready for assembly! Rear sight... Rear sight, completed. Magazine release button, ready to cut. Release button completed and ready for assembly! I reached the point where I got close to the coily part of the coat hanger, so I stopped to cut that part off of it before proceeding. This piece did go for a little trip when I cut it. Eye protection is a good idea, as I stressed early on. I flipped the coat hanger around and used the other coily end to begin cutting the cylinder pins. When I got close to the coil, I repeated the previous step, and cut it free. Again, it took a little trip across the workspace. Cylinder pins completed! Cutting the first pin in the magazine well. At this point in time, I don't know if it was due to excessive handling or what, I started having a little bit of difficulty pushing the hanger into the drilled holes. What I did is visible here. I just bent the hanger to provide a flat surface to push against, and it went back to being easy to put the hanger into the hole to cut the pin(s). Magazine well pins complete. Beginning the pistol grip pins, using the bend in the hanger to make it work again. About to make the final pin cut... Not bad for about ten minutes of work - literally. I spent more time gathering tools, parts, camera, etc, and preparing to do the work than I did actually doing the work. I decided to go ahead and cut the trigger retaining pin while I had everything together. I put the hanger into the trigger pin hole, and bent it to mark the spot to cut. I then took it out and (wearing safety glasses) cut the pin below the bend in the hanger - again, this piece went for a little trip. Here's the trigger pin, waiting to be assembled. As I alluded to earlier, there was bloodshed. I'm not even sure when this happened, but here you go, gratuitous violence in a blaster build thread. I suppose it is now rated PG, but as membership requirements state that someone must be 18 years old, I believe we're good to go. Up to three of seven "can be done now" tasks marked complete in my home stretch plan - which is probably not a complete list, but it is a good one that I've got right now. If anyone sees any steps or tasks that I've neglected to mention - or complete so far (which don't involve the Hengstler or scope) please feel free to point it out. I'm happy with my progress, but I don't want to leave anything out and have to go back later to do/re-do anything! Please go ahead and leave any comments, suggestions or questions, and as always - thanks for taking the time to read/view/follow my build. I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am!

Day #9, drilling assembly pin holes in parts. Lot's of highlights, LoL, let's get right to them: This is really a picture from about day 8.99999. Shopping done the day prior. Picked up some Microbrush paintbrushes (to the left), two-part epoxy, wet/dry sandpaper, spade bits (to eventually drill out the resin scope lenses), clamps (in the tube with the yellow top), some storage tubes (in front of the Trooper box), and finally the Trooper box which my wife, Luciana, happened to see while we were shopping - so it came home too. Here is a close-up of those storage tubes which might be the answer that I've been looking for in regards to the question: How do I make a Hengstler Counter window? I'll be getting to that on a later date though. Kellan really thinks that the Trooper box was the find of the day. It looks like I may have to learn to build child's armor too! I've reached the point where I know that there isn't much left to do - besides put it together - but I don't want to miss anything. In order to keep some focus, I wrote down a list of support projects on the right hand side of this piece of paper, and placed a piece of the "Double Roller Catch" for the folding stock lock there as well. To the left, you see that I have traced the parts that will have assembly pins in them onto the paper. You'll see why in just a few moments. Closer look at the paper, with the addition of red and green ink. The ink might be slightly backwards in its application, as the Green pen was closer to me so I used it first to underline the projects that I still need supplies to complete. I later grabbed the red pen and used it to mark the seven tasks that I can just complete right now, one of which is "Begin gluing/assembly." I've cut out and arranged the paper pieces here with some tape on standby. I'll use these templates to ensure that the assembly pin holes on all of the necessary parts match up properly when I start gluing. Here are the Doopydoo pieces, laid out on the corresponding paper pieces. In the lower-right corner, you can just make out the 5/64" drill bit that I'll be using to drill the holes. Starting with the rear sight, I taped the paper traced template to the resin piece. I made a special mental note to myself at this point in time that I had to drill the two holes in this piece further towards the back of it, because eventually a hole will be drilled all the way through the front of it to secure the scope rail to the blaster. Holes are drilled! I drilled through the tape for pretty much all of these because it gives it slightly more durability than drilling through the paper alone. You still need to keep the drill moving slowly when doing this. The paper really wants to come apart when you drill holes in it. Who knew?? Here is how it looks when completed. If you look at the paper, you can see that I had the original mark for one of the holes further forward on the piece. I moved it further back as mentioned in the description of the previous picture. Stock latch. Again, drilling (slowly) through the tape. Pistol grip. The furthest hole to the front is the screw hole that will hold it and the inner barrel in place. Magazine well has been drilled. Magazine release button. This one, you've got to be careful with. It is a rather shallow piece to begin with, and it has the slot in the top of it making the center of the piece even more shallow than you'd think initially when you turn it over to drill. With the bayonet lug, you can see that I originally marked it for two holes. When it came time to drill it, I felt that two was probably a little bit ambitious and un-necessary, so I went with one. Power cylinders. You can see it in this picture, but I did a test-fit for each hole drilled along the way. As I mentioned during the trigger modification, the 5/64" bit is SLIGHTLY smaller than the coat hanger, so this ensured that the hole was going to be good before I actually get around to putting pieces together. All four holes drilled in the cylinders - through the tape, of course! Here you can see that I have taped the paper pieces to their approximate location on the barrel (I believe that I need to adjust the magazine well as you can see by the mark there) to aid in drilling the corresponding holes in it before assembly. I will of course, ensure that I have them properly placed, and as straight as possible before I begin drilling them. Two of my seven "you can do them now" tasks are just about complete! Obviously, I'll have to drill those other holes (in the barrel) to be fully finished there! That's day #9. Day 10 will follow shortly. Thank you for taking a moment to look at it and comment as you see fit!

Thanks for the thread, Steve. Thanks for sharing the pics, Vern. I have one more bit of work added to my "to-do" list now!

I have not yet passed a year as a member of the FISD, but I have thoroughly been impressed with the visible side of how it runs. I feel that I've seen some very positive changes in my time here, which now is perhaps, half of a year - maybe more/maybe less. As someone that works with large-scale organizations from a management/leadership perspective, I can only imagine the goings-on behind the scenes to keep the machine(s) that are the 501st and the FISD running smoothly for the members. All of you who have served since my arrival have made it an enjoyable, educational, focused, and welcoming environment and that is exactly what an organization like the FISD has to have, in order to be successful and grow. Applause and thanks to all of you. I'm fairly certain that I've had at least one discussion with each of you at some point in time, and I'm proud to say that those interactions have further espoused my commitment to Troopers Helping Troopers at every opportunity that I see available to me. Thank you, for all you've done since my arrival!

Okay... Day #9 photos will seriously be some drilling of "pin" holes and test fitting the coat hanger that will be the pins. I'll explain/show the process I used (so far) to make the holes accurate on both parts being assembled. I'm reaching the point where very soon, I'm going to have to start putting glue on parts. Photos tomorrow/Monday sometime! Thanks for checking in! EDIT: Day #10 will also be posted with the previously mentioned new additions. Nothing major - Cutting assembly pins, and oh yes... There will be blood!

Vern, would you mind posting the photo for general purpose? I've actually done a very small amount of digging tonight for such a photo, after seeing Steve's work here. I knew it was on the front, but didn't know how far back it goes. If you would post it, it would be of assistance to me and, I'm sure, many others down the road. Thanks.

Note to self: You CAN put a real stock on the Doopy! It will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine! Looking great!!!

Somehow I don't recall seeing this even though I re-read your thread from time to time Eric, as I await my very own Canadian stamp-covered box full o'bliss. Granted, I need to receive that email full o'bliss first, but se la vie... Well stated, and hats off to you for being a stand-up guy (which is tough not to do when you're an RT-Mod TK, I understand that) about the Centurion application. I was very anxious about the announced changes before I had a chance to see them, because I basically put my build shopping on pause to see if I needed to learn anything differently when the time comes. Thankfully the changes are not drastic in practice - as opposed to their impact. Leadership is always best when forged in example, and examples are always best when demonstrated as opposed to dictated. You honor the Detachment, the title of DL, and the spirit of Centurion with your actions Eric. I'll proudly follow you into the hall of advance certified RT-Mod kits, when the opportunity presents itself to me.

Also, I have to add that Tim Horton's is awesomesauce all day long, and I don't even like coffee. I got hooked on some of their pastries and chocolate drinks while I was in Afghanistan, as we had one on our "boardwalk" at Kandahar!!!