Cecrops Props

Now I have a bunch of tiny wax tools. I still need to remake a few of the molds that didn’t work, then it’s on to casting!

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Here’s some more new molds. These look so neat that it almost seems a shame to cut them open.

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New mold compound, this stuff in nice! This mold is a thing of beauty!

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It’s almost time to pour the first batch of molds.

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Here’s what I’ve got so far…

Now it’s finally time to start making new molds!

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After finishing up the two guns, and getting some (real) work out of the way, I have finally had a chance to get back to work on the little tools. I got a tiny jeweler’s torch, and I’m having lots of fun using it. It has given me the ability to make masters with built up parts, like this new little dagger blade and cross guard. It is based on a 19th century “flame blade” Spanish dagger. (It’s standing on a quarter for scale). It also features, in the cross guard, the tiniest metal lathe turning I’ve ever done.

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My Borderlands Jakobs Smasher is all finished!  Please enjoy the photos.

Here’s what I have learned from this build:

It’s not worth the trouble to try to salvage bad castings. I spent way too much time filling, priming and sanding bubbles and pits. I would have save a good deal of time just re-casting the parts.

Also, at one point during painting, I thought I was being clever using kitchen plastic wrap during masking instead of paper. It stuck to the cured paint underneath, and pealed off big sheets of the paint, in some cases, right down to the primer. What a mess.

And, I have gathered from some helpful pointers to help in my casting. I will be using this advise to starting with some new castings in a while, to build plain steel and wood Jakobs pistol, one of the Iron or Rex pistols. 

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My Borderlands Unkempt Harold is all finished! Please enjoy the photos.

Here’s what I have learned from this build:

On this build, I used a mix of poplar and hard maple. It too a lot of extra time to fill and sand out the grain in the poplar. Although the maple is harder to work, it is worth the trouble when it comes to finishing, with no visible grain texture.

I had a lot of fun using the toothpaste masking technique for the first time to simulate paint chipping, and I really like the way it turned out. I’ll be keeping this trick handing for future builds.

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I’m also getting closed to finished with the Jakobs Smasher! It's all assembled now, I just have a little more wear and weathering to do. 

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I’m getting closed to finished with the Unkempt Harold! I’ve got the stripes and stars painted, and just have a little more wear and weathering to do.

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Here is the second coat of darker metallic, after masking out some areas for lighter metallic. You can also see the lighted vents, or whatever they are supposed to be, on the cowls. I had airbrushed those on some time ago, they were underneath masking all this time.

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At this point, I have applied the black undercoat to the Unkempt Harold...

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