The discussion of the Alien series of films and the props used in them is the aim, but if it's got Big Bugs and Big Guns, then they are welcome too!





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PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2014 8:40 pm 
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Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
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Thanks Terran! It's coming together at last.

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PostPosted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:15 pm 
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Now that the back end is coming together nicely, I wanted to start fixing the area on the middle M16 that I'd hacked away. I still need to trim it up a little and drill a hole for the oval button thingy, but then I can fill in behind it and putty this up to blend into the handle.

Attachment:
rebuiltmiddle.jpg
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 1:56 pm 
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Once the bottom of the middle M16 section was properly rebuilt I was able to fill in the gaps with crumpled tin foil and putty over it. Lots of sanding going on at this point!

Attachment:
sandingback.jpg
sandingback.jpg [ 98.14 KiB | Viewed 29966 times ]


So my carry handle is about a quarter of an inch too far forward. It's too late to fix it and I doubt anyone else will notice, but since I have my 1:1 scape printout right next to my work area I really think I should have caught it. The trick is that there's a little foot on the back (just above the righthand rectangle in the picture above) that needed to be chopped off so that the back of the handle would flow right down to the back barrel. The angle of the photo above is misleading; I'll try to take a better shot to illustrate what I mean before I take a hacksaw to the part of the foot that still needs to be trimmed. I can't shift the whole thing back at this point (that ship has most definitely sailed!), but I can do some damage control.

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:11 pm 
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I decided it was high time I get Fuel Tank 2.0 done. The first step was making sure to top part of the tank was matching up with the bottom of the body.

Attachment:
bottlefit.jpg
bottlefit.jpg [ 96.98 KiB | Viewed 29923 times ]


Not pretty on the inside, but no one will ever see this part!

Attachment:
bottlefit2.jpg
bottlefit2.jpg [ 122.93 KiB | Viewed 29923 times ]


Once that was all squared away and the canister was attached to the seltzer bottle (drilled through with a few screws and then glued quite permanently), I added the details and gave the plastic parts a coat of paint. The ribbing had to be painted by hand and I'm not happy with the edge of the black (too wavy). I'll go back and redo the black before I attach the ribbing permanently.

Attachment:
tankfitting.jpg
tankfitting.jpg [ 133.87 KiB | Viewed 29923 times ]


Finally, here's the corner of the carry handle that I need to trim off. I just wanted to document it before I take the hacksaw to it in case anyone is planning a build based on this thread.

Attachment:
peskycorner.jpg
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 9:16 pm 
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I'm at a cross roads folks: should I consider these?

https://www.apexgunparts.com/product_in ... ts_id/2131

It would be amazing to use (more) actual M16 parts in the build...

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 Post subject: Re: DIY: making an M240 Flamethrower
PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 9:19 pm 

Location: Bethlehem, Pa
Service Number: A08/TQ1.0.12261E1
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I don't know nearly enough to provide any advice. All I can say is that the flamethrower is coming along nicely and I hope to gear up with you at some point. I have a buddy who is determined to do an all-metal flamethrower with a functional pilot light flame. I can only hope that he joins this forum and posts his build when he starts it.

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 4:35 pm 
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Thanks man! I hope someday to make it down to one of the larger events, it would be awesome to troop with you!

So as I look back at the work I've done over the last few weeks I can't imagine smashing it and starting over. Would I love the sides to be metal? Absolutely! Would I consider just having the right side (i.e. the one that'll show when I'm carrying it) be metal? Maybe, it's what I'm leaning towards at the moment as I haven't finished that side yet.

Gah, this is hard as I really am almost done with the thing. I just need a few solid hours to devote to it...

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 Post subject: Re: DIY: making an M240 Flamethrower
PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 10:42 pm 
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Location: Leamington, Ontario
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This is from Alien: The Weyland-Yutani Report:

Attachment:
902252-alien-the-weyland-yutani-report-collectors-edition-011.jpg
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 10:57 pm 
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Damn! That looks pretty nice. Wasn't the designation M240 coined by Lee in the Tech Manual? I'd love it if these books played nicely together...

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 4:56 am 
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retrogarde wrote:
Damn! That looks pretty nice. Wasn't the designation M240 coined by Lee in the Tech Manual? I'd love it if these books played nicely together...


Well, the M41A is called a submachine gun in the new book, but it's an assault rifle in the Tech Manual.

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 1:36 pm 
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It's called an M41A Pulse Rifle in the film therefore it is a M41A Pulse Rifle, nothing more cannon than the film.

Any updates on this Retro?

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 3:22 am 
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Hey Simon,
Yes undeed and thanks for asking. I put a few hours in today and made some major progress. I'll post photos tomorrow!

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:23 pm 
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Updates at last! :lol:

I needed the back coupling to be really strong, so I used SteelStik and a few screws.

Attachment:
backscrew.jpg
backscrew.jpg [ 110.78 KiB | Viewed 29735 times ]


The coupler is built in two pieces, so I need to test the fit before I finish putting it together.

Attachment:
backfit.jpg
backfit.jpg [ 129.44 KiB | Viewed 29735 times ]


Dang, the coupler is too long. At some point I must have used too much SteelStik (can't undo it now), so I'll need to trim where it overlaps.

Attachment:
backtoolong.jpg
backtoolong.jpg [ 128.39 KiB | Viewed 29735 times ]


I also need to trim off the right top section of this piece.
Attachment:
backrightuntrimmed.jpg
backrightuntrimmed.jpg [ 120.1 KiB | Viewed 29735 times ]

backrighttrimmed.jpg
backrighttrimmed.jpg [ 107.77 KiB | Viewed 29735 times ]


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:32 pm 
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I then started working on the front part where the M203 vent holes get covered up. I had a pair of very interesting metal parts that I really wanted to use there, but it raised the profile of that section way too high. It needs to be higher than the M203, but it can't be as high as the M16 section that is behind it.

So here's my failed attempt:

Attachment:
goodintheory.jpg
goodintheory.jpg [ 324.33 KiB | Viewed 29732 times ]


Luckily I didn't waste too much time, and started again in plastic sheet. I also trimmed down the middle part of the coupler (the portion i removed is circled in red):

Attachment:
betterattempt.jpg
betterattempt.jpg [ 140.62 KiB | Viewed 29732 times ]


Then I painted it to see how it's coming along. Oh, I puttied up the back M16 section on the right side too. It still needs work blending into the middle M16 section, but the handle area came out well!

Attachment:
backtest.jpg
backtest.jpg [ 348.65 KiB | Viewed 29732 times ]


So here's where I'm at:

Attachment:
whereimat1.jpg
whereimat1.jpg [ 223.33 KiB | Viewed 29732 times ]


Attachment:
whereimat2.jpg
whereimat2.jpg [ 187.08 KiB | Viewed 29732 times ]


The bottom of the whole thing needs to be filled in, especially the bottom of the area up front where I've been working on covering the vent holes. But it's coming along!

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:38 pm 
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Time to fix the paint on the tank and add the bottom!

Attachment:
repaintingcanister.jpg
repaintingcanister.jpg [ 150.82 KiB | Viewed 29731 times ]


The line between the OD and the black on the tank was really wavy, so I removed the ribbed parts and blocked off the black for a quick repaint. This time it should be a lot better!

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 Post subject: Re: DIY: making an M240 Flamethrower
PostPosted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:38 pm 
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Location: Virginia
Service Number: A03/TQ2.0.02146E1
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Man that is looking sweeeeet.

I like the "character" it brings too. If you ever decide to cast and sell them, the little details that you are complaining about will actually be what makes it recognizable as one of "yours". I think that is pretty cool.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:23 pm 
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Location: Bath, Maine
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Thanks Terran!

Yeah, casting this thing up isn't really on my radar, especially with the Morgan13 one out there (and the fact that mine uses a piece bought directly from him). I'd hate to take business away from the guy that did me such an awesome favor, and while I'm loving how this is turning out and really enjoying the process, I just don't have the skills to make a product as nice as his. His lines are so damn clean...
I do believe Spat has a flame unit still in the pipeline, so it'll be fun to see what direction he goes. I was excited to see a few flame units in this year's DragonCon parade and sweep, it's good to see the second most popular infantry weapon get some time on the stage.

So you all know how I like to recreate paper props and other "in universe" odds and ends, right? Well I was rereading Lee's Tech Manual and there's a brief mention of a product that coined a nickname for Marines carrying flame units. Anybody know what I'm talking about? Well regardless, I'm gonna make one for fun (and set dressing). I'll post a picture when it's done!

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 3:20 pm 
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Too cool :)

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PostPosted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 9:48 pm 
Looks brilliant! Great job!


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 4:13 pm 
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Location: Bath, Maine
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More progress!

I have built up the back end on each side, as well as the bottom of the front. All of this needs to be sanded, but for now at least it is still an improvement.

Attachment:
morework1.jpg
morework1.jpg [ 168.37 KiB | Viewed 29603 times ]


Attachment:
morework2.jpg
morework2.jpg [ 130.76 KiB | Viewed 29603 times ]


One detail I need to add are three tiny screws on each of the upper sections of the front. Luckily I made these areas out of sheet plastic, so it won't be hard to make holes for the screws.

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PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 9:00 pm 

Location: Oakland, CA
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This is a cool build, great documentation.


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PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 9:12 pm 
Harvester of Sorrow
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Location: Lancashire (Wirral born)
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Looking great :)

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PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 9:40 pm 
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Here's a closeup of the screws on the side, and the area behind it where I had to remove the lever to make room for the black plate that needs to be added.

Attachment:
screws.jpg
screws.jpg [ 134.88 KiB | Viewed 29531 times ]


Yes, I need to sand this all like crazy :?

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 10:43 pm 
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Please excuse both the long delay in updating this thread, and the crappy quality of these photos. Just not enough light where I was working I guess...

Anyhow, I finally got the back piece attached. The last section is metal, so I'll be sure to expose some of that when I'm weathering the unit.

Attachment:
backattach.jpg
backattach.jpg [ 95.05 KiB | Viewed 29368 times ]


I then masked off the sections and gave it a first coat. Turns out the paint was glossy, but I'll be giving it a second coat in any case.

Attachment:
backpaint1.jpg
backpaint1.jpg [ 59 KiB | Viewed 29368 times ]


And the other side.

Attachment:
backpaint2.jpg
backpaint2.jpg [ 63.66 KiB | Viewed 29368 times ]


As I may be hand painting some of the black details anyhow, maybe I'll just end up painting the back the same way. We'll see!

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 11:28 pm 
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On the home straight now buddy!
Looks great :)

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