ZeroRoom

OK Troopers! We have some more progress to post on the templates under development. These are templates and blue prints for the front sight and the selector switch. Obviously they won't appear on the same page in th efinal but we're previewing, checking and correcting here. I've made up templates for both 38mm and 40mm OD pipe as per Mason's suggestion, but the measured blueprints are only for the accurate Sterling. I think it wise to continue in this way. There are also two variations on the selector switch abse - the easy to make (say using dowel) and the accurate 'domed' top version. This will allow people the ultimate combination of information and choice. This too I will continue if any other bits look like there would be an 'accurate' way and an 'easy' way for building. Remember - those who can be sure to correct a measurement with an accurate number if I'm off anywhere. And for those wondering where are the templates for all the bits measured and photographed so far in the thread - as always there on their way!

Christian, can you take a measurement of the width and length of the strips that wrap around the bolt?

Aaaaand yet another project to add to my list! Thanks for posting these Mason - bookmarked!

I can't quite tell: is the selector switch shaped like A or B? Also is the little disc it's mounted on domed or flat?

Just ask me anything you need

To get those curved lines I use illustrator. There really isn't a reliable way to do it in photoshop although there is a pen tool. Do you have illustrator as well as photoshop? If you don't have illustrator grab 'Inkscape' the open source, free version of illustrator here: http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/18954/inkscape If needed I'll teach you exactly how to do it and how to get curved text

Sir you are thorough - big thumbs up I'll try to get the full grip and trigger assembly diagramed up tonight. The trigger guard on the usual templates doesn't insert into the grip like it does on a real Stirling, so a new bending guide is getting drawn up too. And two trigger templates - one for a real Stirling trigger and one that fits the insertion point on a doopy doos grip cast. I've got another question on the tube diagram for you to measure later too Mark but I have to draw up what I mean first...

Hey guys, Mark or Christian (or anyone else - can you measure the trigger guard for me? I've got 105mm Templates are coming along - will post updates soon.

No no - of course it would and I will be sure to scale for those folks, once the true sizes are finished. Really I just wanted to show off my unbelievable good luck Christian - thanks for asking - I'll keep you posted

There is an exactly 1.5" OD PVC pipe available. I have some where does it come from? I have no idea! I ordered a poster from England a few months back and it just so happens the seller sent it in this diameter pipe. Nope I didn't believe it either because it isn't available here, but I've measured and remeasured it and yep - bang on. I've also test fit any and all cast Stirling pieces I have and it's bang on...

Just spent a little time reading up your blog - good stuff good to see a blog with some decent quality writing! I like your neck seal too - nice work.

Brilliant idea! If anyone can do this all you would need to do is post the scan here and name just a few of the important measurements. From there I can do up vector art. If the measurements are listed the scan wouldn't even need to be 100% size - just not distorted with regards to H x W proportions - I can scale it just fine with just a few basic but important measurements.

Phenomenal work Christian! Wow this is going to be helpful. Work was a b*tch today so I didn't get very far with the templates but bed off Christians pics yesterday I did manage to get the stock clip (bottom back of the receiver) template done. My thinking is that the remaining blueprints would match this style: (bear in mind this is just a screen resolution preview pic so don't try to use it for scale templates yet! - obviously we're looking at full PDF's for final work). The final files might need a separate PDF file for printable templates and measurement/ instruction pages, but here I've combined them as one. The original file is absolutely accurate to the measurements listed so it will be printable at 100% and be accurate. I want the templates to be useable by laser cutters too so the vector lines need to be accurate. Now that we're really starting to accumulate the measurements I'll keep going and keep the posts coming with every update. PS - Don't forget to correct me if I'm wrong on any part!

Oh my god! I had no idea about that galactic academy! That's brilliant! Their photo gallery made the night in this house

Brilliant! I think we're finally going to get this done!

This is fantastic Mark and Christian - you are champions. I will start blueprinting the parts that we have now got official measurements for and upload when I get them done. We're still waiting on correct folding stock dimensions - can anyone help here?

Awesome! Damn you people who don't live in countries regulate every tiny aspect of the people's lives... You think I jest - Australian parliament is currently passing a bill to require a license to own toy guns. Yep. TOY guns. It's even better than the law that says you can't sell Red Bull in bars after midnight... Anyway - enough of the Penn & Teller rant - thanks so much I look forward to your post

Thanks Dave - awesome info. (plus I feel safely assured you engaged in no illegal activities to get these measurements which is reassuring....) Can anyone else help with the remaining measurements?

OK guys I've done some more measuring to lock this down. Since I live in Australia my chances of ever getting my hands on a real Stirling are pretty much zero, so the best I could do was take some measurements from a random assortment of resin parts I have lying around that were cast from a real Stirling. (They're not Doopy Doo's parts, as they include the proper hex bolts in the muzzle and so on, but TBH I'm not sure who cast them). Comparing these measurements to the above plans, the plans actually do come off fairly well. The primary error I found was that the end cap was off by a few mm. Should be about 51mm High. 25mm deep is correct and it should be 40mm for the width of the Stock catch. Given however these were made to create your own end cap from pipe parts this alteration is understandable. I don't have the whole folding stock in cast parts, just the front section with the holes, but from my measurements here the plans also seem correct. I can't speak for the "arms" as I have no reference but maybe you could check this Mark? The Muzzle parts are accurate to the casting except base piece which has been modified to fit INSIDE the tube, so it is longer and and has a smaller diameter by 3mm. The dimensions on the plans for the Mag housing are correct except in width. At the point where the magazine enters the housing the width should be 40mm not 42mm, but this is a tiny difference and could be down to make and model. The handle appears to be absolutely accurate. The Rear sight template is off a touch and should be 17mm wide (between the semi circles) not 14.6 but the rest is good. Front sight is slightly off but mainly to accomodate the screwdriver tip which makes sense. Can't speak to the trigger and trigger guard but a 13mm wide copper strip I had certainly fits as a trigger guard into the handle, which is the width given by the template. The template says 29mm tall for the trigger, but I don't have a trigger to measure - Maybe you could check this too Mark? So it would certainly seem that these plans are pretty spot on, to what measurements I have been able to get, admittedly from castings not real parts. So the only parts I can't confirm or correct are the sizes and relative positions of the barrel elements, cocking channel etc, and of cours the big one - the folding stock. Would you be able to confirm or correct these measurements Mark? There are also two bits I haven't been able to find dimensions for on any plans I've yet seen. The first is the dimensions of the crescent shaped blowback shields on the barrel. It would be cool to get dimensions like so; The other is the little tab near the end cap that helps clip the folding stock in position when extended. I've never seen accurate measurements for this yet: And while you're at it Mark perhaps you could get correct measurements for the cocking handle so we can fix that on the plans. If anyone knows of any other mistakes I've made, or on the plans (remember I was measuring from castings not real parts) then let me know - but be specific with corrections so we can finally create a fully measured, accurate blueprint by making the appropriate adjustments to the plans. We'll never get the intricacies of the parts added by Lucasfilm down for a certainty, but we can surely get the base Stirling dimensions knocked on the head relatively easily...

That would be great Mark I guess it's hard to know what I know I need measurements of if I don't know which parts of these blueprints are wrong... I'll knok up a diagram and get back to you - stay tuned

Ok ok, so maybe I employed some hyperbole in my topic title... But let's do this - "that cocking handle is way off - it should be (insert correct measurements)" Bearing in mind Mason is right, there are 12 variants of the Stirling, let's lock down the best measurements we can. Using an aggregate of net researched specs from Wikipedia etc, these specs hold up pretty well. So let's correct the parts that are wrong, I'll re draw the vector files and re-upload the finals. Get those specs flowing people!

Be specific sir. We want details. I've got an end cap but I can fix and reupload any other incorrect specs. Chuck me the details and I'll alter the PDF's.

I've got access to a 3D Printer if you've got the CG skills!

I just found the greatest set of Stirling SMG scratch build templates I've ever seen. They are leagues ahead of the BBC ones and produce an exact 1:1 scale replica. Best of all they don't just rely on you to print the sheets out correctly, they include all the measurements taken from a real Sterling right down to the length and diameter of the cocking handle, as you can see in these preview shots: These things are so detailed, they also include the full interior parts and you can actually build a functioning Airsoft gun from them if you are so inclined. I purchased them from an Airsoft replica site, but since $8 (while cheap) is a bit of a rip to have a PDF file emailed to you, what's a fella to do except post them up here for all my TK brothers to download for free. Attached here: SterlingSMGPlansApr09.zip