The Aliens Legacy
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M56 Chronicle
http://forum.alienslegacy.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15903		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Sat Jan 30, 2016 2:59 am ]
Post subject:  M56 Chronicle
After wanting one for 29 years, I finally have my hands on an M56 Smartgun. I'm in the process of working on it with the hope I can drop with it at Marscon in March.

Base gun is from Matsuo; steadicam vest is a Camtree. It's not SA but the price was right.

I'll post photos and updates as this progresses.

Couple of questions for those who have been down this road before:

1. Anyone have a wiring guide for how the headset, gun, and battery connect?

2. How can I reduce the spring tension in the steadicam arm? I've already adjusted the tension knob to as "loose" as possible.

3. Anyone know what the counterweight was made from? I am thinking of replacing the resin from the kit with an actual counterweight to better balance the gun.

4. Anyone have a template or measurements for the chest armor?

Thanks to everyone in advance for their help; Matsuo for making such a great kit, and xeno_stomper for selling me the gun.
Author:  577_ops [ Sat Jan 30, 2016 6:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: M56 Chronicle
Welcome to the Club!

Headset (video) plug to chest armour; Headset (audio) to Transmitter.
From the chest armour plate via the arm to the M56 (Battery).
From the Battery to the Kawasaki switch.
That’s the basic wiring excluding M56 IR camera & cables near the counter weight etc.

BTW: The SG Headset Vasq & Drakes cable/plug placements vary.

Reference pictures: http://www.harryharris.com/sg.htm

The tension controls differ from arm to arm. Normally you have at 1-2 screws/knobs to do adjustments. Remember if you keep them to lose your arm would hold all the weight.
But apart from health aspects that seems to be a matter of personal preferences.

>Anyone know what the counterweight was made from?
Not 100% sure. Cylinder as Cover with SteadyCam weights internally. That’s so far my understanding.

>Anyone have a template or measurements for the chest armor?
It was posted a while ago. I repost it.

Find yourself very lucky, that you got one from Matt. I’m still waiting.

Attachments:
armour M56.jpg
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Author:  Erik_MAA [ Sun Jan 31, 2016 1:51 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, I think that's just what I needed. I have most of the gun painted and assembled, once the assembly is completed I'm going to start on weathering.

ETA: How is the camera wired? In some of the pics it almost looks like the wiring goes from the camera to the switch.
Author:  577_ops [ Sun Jan 31, 2016 5:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: M56 Chronicle
Depending on the picture I see two cables ore one cable on the arm.

Assuming you only have one cable from/to the chest plate (where the CPU is according to the TM)
you have the camera connected to this cable and also the cable comming out of the switch to it.

For me that is different as I use a real pin hole cam insider the resin camera.
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Sun Jan 31, 2016 9:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: M56 Chronicle
You know, I have a copy of the TM on my bookshelf, and didn't even thing to consult it. DERP
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Mon Feb 01, 2016 4:29 am ]
Post subject: 
So tonight, while trying to figure out the steadicam arm/gun interface, I found an old caster in my junk box.

When I removed the wheel, I had an angled bracket with twin forks which swiveled on a bearing. I bent it slightly and it fit right into the steadicam bracket.

I didn't have the hardware to attach it to the gun (I'll pick that up tomorrow) but I ziptied it on to see how it worked, and it worked perfectly!

Attachment:
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Author:  bigbisont [ Mon Feb 01, 2016 2:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re:
Erik_MAA wrote:
So tonight, while trying to figure out the steadicam arm/gun interface, I found an old caster in my junk box.

When I removed the wheel, I had an angled bracket with twin forks which swiveled on a bearing. I bent it slightly and it fit right into the steadicam bracket.

I didn't have the hardware to attach it to the gun (I'll pick that up tomorrow) but I ziptied it on to see how it worked, and it worked perfectly!

Attachment:
12637089_10207556387100967_350801421_o.jpg



Awesome! Take THAT anyone who ever said throwing away "junk" was the way to go. Score another victory for the spare parts bin!


577_ops wrote:
>Anyone have a template or measurements for the chest armor?
It was posted a while ago. I repost it.


Thanks for that as well. I am nearing that stage myself.
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Tue Feb 02, 2016 3:18 am ]
Post subject: 
Gun is about 90% done, I will get some pics up. Stuff I need to do:

- Install wiring between gun, battery, and vest
- Install camera wiring
- Headset
- Shoulder lamp mount

Has anyone out there installed a Majenko board in their M56? I know he only has the M41 boards but I was thinking of adapting one for my '56. Any other FX boards out there for the '56?
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:15 am ]
Post subject: 
Some better pics of the arm/gun interface.

Attachment:
Mount1.jpg
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The arm is attached using a 1/4" bolt with two washers and a wingnut.

Attachment:
Mount2.jpg
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This is very solid, but I am thinking I might try to find a clevis pin that's the right size.
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:34 am ]
Post subject: 
Did a little work on the wiring today between the arm and the gun. Waiting on a battery, headset, and chest plate.

I managed to get a decent pic of the gun; these things are so big, they are hard to photograph.

I still need to add some additional details like the camera lens and the counter. Also thinking about a sound/fx board.

Attachment:
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Author:  577_ops [ Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: M56 Chronicle
A few wires are not seen in this picture, but apart from this it looks very good.
Thanks for sharing.
Author:  Kotus [ Mon Feb 08, 2016 5:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
What steadycam model did you use?
good luck with the project.
577_ops knows all about smart guns listen to her XDD
Author:  577_ops [ Mon Feb 08, 2016 7:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re:
Kotus wrote:
What steadycam model did you use?
good luck with the project.
577_ops knows all about smart guns listen to her XDD


The "known it all" part I leave to Sean, 25-Serria, Rob and many others. :-)
Author:  septic [ Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re:
Erik_MAA wrote:
The arm is attached using a 1/4" bolt with two washers and a wingnut.


Clever & simple, very nice idea :)

My $0.02 though, I'd be putting some washers and a big spacer rod between the "legs" of the caster to support those legs in case the weight is too much for em.
Author:  MattRendar [ Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:50 am ]
Post subject: 
Looking good ;)
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Wed Feb 10, 2016 2:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Re:
septic wrote:
Erik_MAA wrote:
The arm is attached using a 1/4" bolt with two washers and a wingnut.


Clever & simple, very nice idea :)

My $0.02 though, I'd be putting some washers and a big spacer rod between the "legs" of the caster to support those legs in case the weight is too much for em.


I am actually going to do that, looking for the right item for the job. Thinking of a short steel pipe with rubber bushings at either end. Great minds think alike!

It is really an amazing feeling to put the rig on and see how the steadicam "floats" a meter-long machine gun. Very cool invention!
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Wed Feb 10, 2016 5:15 am ]
Post subject: 
Quick question - what kind of connector is used to connect the arm wires to the vest wires?

ETA: Never mind, figured it out
Author:  577_ops [ Wed Feb 10, 2016 2:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: M56 Chronicle
From chest plate to the smart gun you have your 3.5mm audio cables.
This cable connects to the M56 battery.
For the part SG Headset to chest plate, which is a story on its own, see the related headset topics for details (on the cable and the audio connector used there.
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Thu Feb 18, 2016 2:06 am ]
Post subject: 
Anyone have a diagram for how to wire up a static LED counter? I have not been able to find anything through searches.
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Thu Mar 03, 2016 5:50 am ]
Post subject: 
Been too busy working on the project to take progress pics, but I did a test fit of the entire rig tonight, and everything seems to be where it needs to be.

Attachments:
test 3-2-2016-2.jpg
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test 3-2-2016.jpg
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Author:  577_ops [ Thu Mar 03, 2016 11:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: M56 Chronicle
Great! Another SG Operator for the ready line. :delta: :)
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Sun Mar 06, 2016 9:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
Got some pics at the MarsCon drop this weekend...

Full set, everything worked great.

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The business end. I added the plug to pacify the hoplophobes. Sometimes people get a little weird about replica weapons at cons.

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Showing off all my stuff at the USCM costuming panel.

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Everything went great except for my M56 headset; I kept breaking it at the stress point between the camera and the headset itself. Glue wasn't enough to keep it together so I did a quick repair with electrical tape and some wire (glad I packed that repair kit). I'll get it fixed before my next drop, which is at MiniCon in three weeks.

Thanks to Matsuo for the gun, shoulder lamp, and chest plate; Spat for my helmet, armor and battery, and Chef for the M56 headset.
Author:  bigbisont [ Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: M56 Chronicle
Great set up! Also love the barrel plug.
Author:  Erik_MAA [ Sun Mar 06, 2016 11:51 pm ]
Post subject: 
Found another pic!

Attachment:
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Author:  577_ops [ Mon Mar 07, 2016 9:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: M56 Chronicle
Great set up indeed.
I like the yellow smiley muzzle cover.
Second, that this point on the SG headset is a stress point. For me only screws helped here.
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