Dracotrooper

Great recovery on that muzzle Tom! You are a brave one! Ah, testimony though that green stuff can come to the rescue! ps. I noticed from a few posts back that you may have installed your ejection port guard where the flash guard is supposed to be. The ejection port guard is bigger than the flash guard in size. I checked the FISD E-11 Blaster Reference, and I think it may very well be the case. Sorry to mention if that was intentional, but I thought I'd point that out to you in case it wasn't, cheers!

Thank you Joseph for sharing from your experience. I can see now with the scope of a costume event clearly made known to the public and wisely handling oneself in public, carrying highly detailed blasters pose little threat to public safety. For the most part, the public would be oblivious to the detail of the blasters, unless they are allowed to examine them. As you shared, even after police inspection, within the context of a supported event, it's all smiles. Then the blaster ranking can be a point of pride between blaster enthusiast who know the difference.

Some thoughts...when we look at the E-11 blaster, we all know it is based on a sterling machine gun with additional pieces brought in by the propmasters...would a recognition system that rewards screen accuracy inadvertently promote the creation of a realistic rifle and therefore put a threat to public safety? With the establishment of an orange plug in the muzzle to mark it a toy for conventions, for example, would that suffice to ensure for no misunderstanding and therefore confidence for public safety? Of course, there's rules to abide by with your local garrison as well as it pertains to your part of the world and the troop at hand. I'm not sure, want to understand more...

With blaster grading following after armor grading - basing it on screen accuracy, the badges denote the level of screen accuracy, so I changed around the wordings to 'expert blaster' in my mock-up of the highest badge.

For fun, I took the liberty of taking a stab at an 'Expert Blaster' marksmanship badge : This is a conceptual design, following after military badges as described on this Wikipedia page: Marksmanship badges (United States)

Good on you Dan to take on visionary and administrative lead on this - this may very well be the thing that will motivate the next generation of blaster builders. The average builder does have more resources at their grasp these days as a result of on-line purchasing, the growth of 'lower-end' hardware stores offering up cheaper yet adequate tools, high resolution photos captured from smart phones, and of course, access to in-depth WIPs posted right here on FISD. Most important of all, there are members that sincerely want to see others succeed in getting to their design and build goals. Also, If you look also at what CHRIS (fieldmarshall) is doing in creating high quality replica E-11 Blaster parts, and the interest and momentum gained there, for purchase from his shop - these may very well fuel motivation for achieving the 'Marksman' category.

In examining SMG references, latch removable but not threaded...

Is the latch removable? If so, how is it attached to the folding stock inner rod? Is it threaded? If so, perhaps extend via aluminum rod? My two cents Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Splendid - wish you all the best!

Hey there Tom - great progress. The weight and functional aspects of your folding stock with add loads of realism to your blaster - happy for you. If you don't know already, I think you and Ardyjo had sourced the same functioning folding stock, check out his WIP:

Hey there Brian - I"ll keep up the work, that's for sure. There are allot of design considerations when taking into account how it all works - it's been a good learning experience and an exercise of cautious implementation, cuz once the resin is gone, it's gone. Thanks for the thumbs up!

Thanks Brien! I think investing in a workbench and dremel flex shaft was worth it then ... cheers! You're a funny guy Dan - still waiting for you to share your Micky Mouse comic strip, I contemplate you having eh? Ammo? Tino, do you have some to spare? Tino! You are too generous with your comments, but I will receive it with humility from the master , with much thanks brother. haha, that's right ... you haven't updated it yet? I kid I kid, when you get to it

Hi SW enthusiasts! Excited to share yet another installment. Over the past two weeks, I've tackled and continue to do so, the magazine housing. Original Doopydoos Magazine Housing For this piece, I wanted to get it looking and functioning much like an original SMG piece. With some green stuff, customizing a solid aluminum rod and some aluminum sheets, I've tried to push this mod without busting this resin piece =) I begin first by looking to replace the ejector with a custom aluminum build, then I proceed to creating the component pieces that relate to the magazine release button. Grub screw used for the ejector comes from Tino's completion set. Inspiration for creating a working release button comes from Tino as well; he's been a huge influence on getting me to my level of build so far. Although I haven't completed the release button components, I'll share my progress so far. Here I measure the ejector diameter for correct purchase of my solid aluminum rod. I then proceed to using a diamond cutting blade on my dremel, then sanding drum, and finally manually sanding via square file. To get it close as possible to the real SMG part, I filled in the underside, under the ejector with green stuff. With some light sanding, I am able to achieve some of the contours of the underside. In now having set the stage, I proceeded to hollow out the resin ejector. The solid aluminum rod is approximately 8mm in diameter. In using the correct drill bit, the rod fits nicely into the magazine housing. I discovered, use of WD-40 is helpful to catch the metal shards and also good for lubricating the hacksaw blade for cutting. Adds smell to the task and drippy but with cardboard placed underneath, no biggie. Here is the test fit for the custom ejector rod, I like it! This hear comes the tricky part, trying to capture the ejector bottom that I think, Is used to individualize the rounds for firing. Hacksaw used to get primary shape. Attached my round file to my drill to shape out the curvature outlined with pencil. Crafting bottom portion of housing ejector - applied blue tape as guides after rough mark up using pencil. Cobalt hacksaw blade used Test fit of partially completed lower portion of ejector - quite happy with the contours. Here comes the final shaping of the end of the ejector - Boeing 747 jet tail, here I come! I begin with getting the tail angle then glue the fin using J-B Weld. I'm hoping with it being made with steel fragments, the glue will adhere well to the aluminum, we'll see. Ejector bottom end completed to follow up with light sanding over glue seam area Ejector with fashioned bottom I now proceed to drilling the other way, so that I can have a functioning magazine release button. I use a 5mm diameter solid aluminum rod for this. I begin by hollowing out a place for it using a drill bit. The holes more so align with the position markings on the housing - a little off but the resin around these holes all have to be taken out anyways. I then have to tackle the ejector - making the same diameter hole right through it...this was nerve racking but I managed to pull it off. Here comes the really finicky part of the ejector. If the bottom part of the ejector wasn't finicky enough, the top is even more work. I proceed here to fashion the bevel and also install the grub screw for it. Grub screw had as part of Tino's completion set. I begin by measuring out the grub screw. I needed to use a progression of drill bits. One size smaller is used than what's measured for the final hole drill out as I will be needing to manually screw the grub screw in so to etch thread onto the ejector. Here's the task ahead of me: I begin initially though to mark the bevel location to gauge the correct location of the grub screw. I then proceed to drilling out the grub screw hole. Here's that manual process I was talking about - I used an allen wrench to drive the grub screw into the aluminum to etch threading. For anyone attempting this, wear cloth covered with rubber gloves, I blistered my fingers pretty bad... I finally drive that grub screw right through! In the process, the fashioned bottom of my ejector piece lost a detail part. I will need to add that back on a later time. Now for work on the bevel, I inserted my ejector into my drill and held it against my square file. Remember to wear ear plugs; drill motors get really loud, especially when you hold your head up close to see the shavings up close. Here's the progression of my work - I like how it had come along! Here are some angle shots... I would actually now have to drill a recess for the grub screw to sit deeper - the actual SMG piece has a hole through the entire triangle part of the housing and the grub screw has a straight-long piece attached that would go through this...fyi. Now, I'm pretty happy with my ejector. The task of getting a custom catch was looming...here we go! Here is a photo taken previously, it shows the component pieces involved in creating the custom catch. The catch being that 'foot' looking thing =) Here I put together the catch, via aluminum provided in T-jay's completion set - perfect length. I then add green stuff and contour it, following SMG references. I then proceed to creating the catch rod by precision measuring the rod. Here, I begin to add thread bolt to one end to hold the foot, I mean catch. Pretty happy with the end result. I would follow through by adding some E-6000 to close some gaps between the aluminum and green stuff. I'm a fan of Terry Fox - A tribute to you dear champion!!! Here's some test fitting... Now the task is to carve out the channel for the catch to rest inside. Measuring depth of custom catch piece and taping off dremel bit 194 to gauge correct carving depth so to get ready for carving out resin catch In checking SMG references, I discovered the catch is to poke into the magazine housing channel as a way of locking the magazine in place. So in my work, revealing some hollow-through parts is a good thing!! Here are some test-fit pictures of the catch - it's sitting flush! I now have to work on the button end of things, that will have to be saved for the next update. Thanks for reading folks and for keeping up with me on this snail of a build - cheers! Have a great day.

Hello Blaster Build Community, I'd like to include a very interesting picture towards the FIS E-11 Blaster Reference. It is a photo of an original Sterling magazine housing from the bottom. It is an intriguing view angle as it shows the catch come up into the magazine housing channel. Builders can have a clearer understanding of function in reviewing the picture. I have certainly benefited. I have contacted the author, Robert A. (swpropman) and obtained permission. Happy building everyone!

Congratulations on reaching EIB Dan! Woah, look at those credentials follow after your name! Happy for ya, one day, I'll follow after you, that's a promise!

Right!

You are absolutely sailing along here Tom! Thanks for the kudos Dan and here are some of the more relevant pics from my WIP. Here are some design considerations as well - rounding out the edges here and there if you like, following SMG references. cheers, and happy building to ya!

I agree with Tino - the photos and explanations are excellent! I am getting more familiar with how to install blaster electronics! You've been a huge help Pawel, cheers to you!

Here's the link to Tino's 2016 Power Cylinder build - more references for you Tom! CLICK HERE.

Looking good, nice precision work here Tom! I have to jot down your progression of steps for when I get to this step, sounds right

Congratulations Tino on reaching centurion! Of course, there wasn't any doubt, just a matter of time [emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome! WIsh you all the best for approval!

Great work here Tom! - love your work on the rear sight so far!

Tremendous progress, great work! I noticed the grub screw for the magazine ejector is sitting a little high - based on SMG reference, it could reveal one to no more than one and half threads, if you want of course [emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I believe this is the blaster Mark (AP) offers in his armour bundle package. For more familiarity of the blaster, see my CO, Panda trooper from my local garrison give a tutorial on weathering the blaster [emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk