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k So far i hope i have the correct materials...

Lots of plastic cards, some plastic tubes / rods etc etc.
what comes next?

I want it to look something like this ><




How would i go about making the barrels ( the thicker ends?) do i use thicker tube?
or do i wrap a sheet of plastic card ontop of the barrels?

Both of those options work just fine. I would use different sized tubes as that will give you the cleanest and most precise version.

For the drums, you could take a bunch of toothpicks and cut them so they are small long cylinders, wrap them up in plasticard, cut out a "window" so you can see the toothpicks (in case you didnt guess yet, they represent the rounds for the weapon, hehe). Model on some other bits of plasticard for the front and back of the dums and there ya go. Alternatively you could make links of rounds with the ends of toothpicks which would, IMO, look way more badass (but also be a bit more Chaos-y, which may also be why I like that idea more).

Ah... how do i wrap the plasti sheets around the rod ? they dont really cooperate to be bented that much :/

the easiest way is to use plastic IG autocannons. but if your really wanting to make it out of plastic card then i would do the following:

use anticitizen013 idea for the "bullets" but use plastic tubes the correct size, cutting a small section out so you can see into it.

for the barrel use different size tubing. then cut (either very carefully with a razor or use a file) the venting lines.

you can use the plastic card to "wrap" around but you need the thinner sheets or you'll have to heat it up. it is much much easier to use different size tubing. (i have done so a couple of times - for different size guns, from autocannons up to battle cannon size).

hope this helps and good luck.

werewolfhunter wrote:the easiest way is to use plastic IG autocannons.

IG autocannons would, unfortunately, look too weedy on a Dreadnaught like this. I used some for the ACs on a scratchbuilt Thunderbolt and they just didn't look right. Way too small. They need to be about 1/3 to 1/2 again large to look right.

werewolfhunter wrote:for the barrel use different size tubing. then cut (either very carefully with a razor or use a file) the venting lines.

This is the way to go. I highly recommend finding some hollow plastic rod/plastic tubing of appropriate diameters that you can slide one into the other. Trying to wrap plasticard around the tube and gluing it to stay isn't the easiest task in the world. Cutting a short section of larger tubing that slides over the barrel is a much easier task.

Why not just order the FW gun? I think that is it that you linked isnt it? It like $10 I think and saves a lot of time.

Cheaper than that, actually - with the current going rate for the British pound, they're only ~$8.50 before shipping (and even the shipping isn't as expensive as folks are often worried it will be).

(Dang - actually calculating things up, you can get a FW Dread complete with 2 arms for ~$47.75 these days).

GMMStudios wrote:Why not just order the FW gun? I think that is it that you linked isnt it? It like $10 I think and saves a lot of time.

Yes but im using this opportunity to learn abit about the hobby aspect.

i know FW is cheaper ( spent $40 on th materials already xD

but i also heard fw takes forever to ship and have bad service.

know any good fw sellers?

I ordered a Sonic Dreadnought from FW and it took just less than 4 weeks to get here. No problems otherwise.

It's good that youre taking it upon yourself to make your own stuff, since that's part of what the hobby is all about right? Plus in the end if it doesnt work out, you've at least gained some experience and learned about what not to do, and what to do better next time

Currently have extreme amount of problem cutting straight +90degree line with xacto knife.... even with a metal ruler

Do you guys use some super math tricks to know how much card to cut in order to wrap
a perfect fit around the barrel?

A big help with straight lines is the cutting matt i use to model on, it has corss secton lines to help you keep the pasticard straight while you work.

LunaHound wrote:Currently have extreme amount of problem cutting straight +90degree line with xacto knife.... even with a metal ruler

First make a light score with your blade, and once that is there, just keep pressing slightly harder until it cuts. If you try for just 1 cut by pressing too hard, its easy to slip and cut your hand off

The best way is two different round tubes the small one is the barrel the large one the flash suppressor. You want the big one to fit on the small one snugly to form the whole barrel.
To cut straight plasticard you need a square you can find them cheep at a hardware store, home depot and lowes.
Put down your cutting surface against a straight table edge then use the square to hold the plastic straight and cut along the metal edge using the back of the blade.
stay safe cut slow and use patience.
show pics when you start.

I would've thought the logical thing (although it would only work for one side) would be to take a dread's TL lascannon and cut the end down a little...

FW with express shipping is as reliable and fast as the warstore, at least it has been for me.

EDIT: But more power to you for converting it. I was just saying.

I dont want to pay so much S&H when i buy under the $250 amount for free s&h.


And if i do order $250, i have no idea what i want lol other
then the auto cannon -_-

I use Evergreen plastic tube, each size fits perfectly inside the next larger size, it's great for making gun barrels and the biggest sizes would probably be ok for ammo drums - a lot better than trying to wrap flat card around tubes. If you don't already have one, buy a mini-tube cutter for perfect cuts.

If you need to bend card, heat it up in boiling water or in the spout of a steaming kettle. This can be used to make card curve a bit to conform to a curved surface.

I don't recommend trying to make precisely fitting parts that way. Easier to buy plastic parts which already match.

Plastic tubes and rods are best for making gun barrels.

Girders, angle irons and so on are useful for bits of construction.

What you will find is that once you start working with plasticard, the more different supplies you get and the more skill you gain, the more things you can do.

@killkrazy

SO what you are saying is.

Instead of trying to make things to look like something.
Buy something that already IS something? o_o?

like.... scratch build, but semi scratch? xD

Hmm.... one problem is i threw away all the packaging... i have no idea what size tubes rods i bought ><;;