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Post by admin on Oct 4, 2006 0:09:21 GMT -5
Unknown Model Chaingun (Assume Z-6a or Z-6b or similar naming convention) Source: Battlefront II As seen in Battlefront II, Clone Wars II This gun is seen in both BF2 and CW2, though obviously different models in the same line. If you note the forward handle position and ammo cartridge positions on the gun, you can see it's the same gun only tilted to the side. The only difference is that the shoulder mounted version's handel has been moved to the back of the gun for the Clone Wars animated shorts. It appears to be a special forces weapon across the Army of the Republic, but not standard weaponry. The shoulder-mounted variant is specific to the GMs.
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Post by Goose on Oct 4, 2006 5:42:50 GMT -5
Like we discussed the other day I'm going to try to tackle this weapon some how.
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Post by Anrev on Oct 4, 2006 17:15:02 GMT -5
This would be just WAY too cool.
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Post by corbin on Oct 4, 2006 18:30:32 GMT -5
Looks like the barrels could be made from 1 ¼ inch PVC. Seems like that is used a lot in weapons. The body of it would have to be fiberglass, not only for strength but for weight. I can’t think of anything else that would make it light enough to carry, but still be strong enough not to break that easy. Do you have any other screen shots that show the area where it meets the shoulder as well as the trigger/grip area?
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Post by Anrev on Oct 4, 2006 18:36:19 GMT -5
FG would work fine. But if I made one it would be ABS. I would glue it all together.
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Post by admin on Oct 4, 2006 18:40:26 GMT -5
Just a random thought: I think that, for proper weight distribution, the pipes used for the barrels would need to run the entire length of the gun. It'd be a trade-off with weight, but I'd rather it be evenly balaced and heavier than just front-heavy and, well, front heavy. This will be important if you do the shoulder-mounted variant.
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Post by Goose on Oct 4, 2006 19:05:48 GMT -5
Here is another reference picture that I think would be a good addition to the ones you've already posted. It gives a nice detail of the back of the Clone Wars version.
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Post by Anrev on Oct 4, 2006 20:07:04 GMT -5
I'd do the shoulder mount version WITH a motorized rotating barrel. And maybe even a flashing LED.
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Post by Goose on Oct 4, 2006 20:22:19 GMT -5
I'd do the shoulder mount version WITH a motorized rotating barrel. And maybe even a flashing LED. I'm thinking about how to do that without wearing out my shoulder lugging that sucker around. I'll probably just do the CW version because in my opinion it looks cooler that way. Makes me think of Animal Mother from Full Metal Jacket.
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Post by youngling on Oct 13, 2006 21:12:38 GMT -5
Just a few questions would this have to be vaccumformed or would it be better to make the body out of mdf? I guess my question is how much detail is there on it? What would you guys suggest doing i dont have the facilities to fiberglass but i can resin cast.
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Post by admin on Oct 13, 2006 21:28:41 GMT -5
I currently have no plans to build the gun, but here's how I would do it:
First off, I'm more about looks when it comes to props. If I have to sacrifice false functionality to preserve the look of the real prop, I'll do it. Often times when you include functionality, the looks are GREATLY reduced, and may no longer even resemeble the original prop. That said, my chaingun would not spin.
Because my chaingun would not spin, it would afford me greater structural integrity for the entire prop. I would build the barrels almost the entire length of the prop. The barrels would be made out of PVC pipe with either sintra or wood plates securing them together at the necessary points.
The body of it would be made in two parts: a frame made out of wooden that would support everything, and a sintra outer plating, complete with BF2 surface details. The frame would be rather complex looking, and it would secure to the barrels in such a way to make the entire frame very rigid. The grip would attach to the frame, and would probably run the entire height of the prop. Then the sintra plating would be glued on or screwed on (then bondo over the screws), and then attach all the details. The details could be made out of resin, though they'd be larger parts. The ammo cartidge could be made out of an old cookie tin with double lids, one on each side with cutouts and glued in backing for the details. Then it could just simply attach to the frame. Perhaps the barrels would be made to be removable by way of bigger tubes inside the body for the smaller barrels to slide in place. Either way, the barrels would need to run the entire length of the prop.
Why do the barrels need to run the entire length of the prop? Well the reasons are two-fold:
1) Doing so would add better balance to the prop. If you're going for the shoulder mounted or hip carried variants, you dont want it to be front heavy by just having the barrels attach to the front. You'r wrists will thank you.
2) You don't want a potentially fragile or unrepairable rotating point at the center of the prop between the barrels and the body. If you were to bang up against something with it, the barrel assembly could snap off like a twig or be horribly bent. Again, this feeds back into the structural integrity of the prop. If the barrels were fixed in place and ran the entire length of the prop, it's more likely that you'd break what you bumped into instead of breaking the prop.
But again, that's my approach. Since most of our onlookers are children, the shoulder mounted variant would be perfect so they couldnt reach up and try to spin the barrels. Then again, I don't let the kiddies handle my weps anyways.
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Post by youngling on Oct 13, 2006 22:49:14 GMT -5
Would the shoulder mounted version be more screen accurate than the hip version. Just wandering because due to time and money the hip would be better for me to make but if the shoulder is more screen accurate than i wouldn't have a problem with making it it might just take more funds and a lot more time.
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Post by admin on Oct 13, 2006 22:57:07 GMT -5
Well it seems your question is regarding movie canonicity. The gun is not featured on the big screen, and therefor does not fall into the "screen accuracy" category. It was seen in two separate media types: video game, and animated series. So there are two types of accuracy to shoot for. But also keep in mind that the 501st nearly passed an amendment to the charter that would have restricted costumes from not being animation-styled. That is, no animated ARC troopers, etc. This would include the ambiguous gray box that is the Z-6 rotary cannon in the animated series. It has no detail on it because its an artistic rendering of an idea. That same idea was fleshed out and given *details* in BF2, though the carry configuration changed. I supported this amendment proposal, but unfortunately it did not get put into the charter revision. HOWEVER, it is safe to assume that since the idea was brought up, at least SOME of the GMLs agree with it and already weed out costumes likewise. But if you want your Z-6 to match your costume, PLEASE go with the BF2 version as far as details go. It'd just be more impressive! The Clone Wars version was just a gray box. That wouldn't be a prop - it'd be a gray box. As far as addressing the carrying configuration, the shoulder-mounted variant is specific to the GM. It wasn't seen being held the same way by other troopers, and the other configuration wasn't seen with the GM. So for "screen accuracy" in the sense your asking, it would have to be shoulder-carried.
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Post by youngling on Oct 13, 2006 23:02:44 GMT -5
Sorry if my phrases are hard to understand but i couldn't agree more with you now that i look at it it isn't a prop it is a grey box (that made me laugh). I think i will go with the shoulder mounted version but it changes a few of my plans. It has come to my attention that if you wanted to do the shoulder mounted version you have to have shoulder "guards/pauldrons" made with the craft foam if you have the details vaccumformed the will get scratched and beat up and maybe even cracked. Just a bit of useless information for ya'll.
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Post by admin on Oct 13, 2006 23:17:34 GMT -5
Not necessarily. That's definitely a concern, but we're GMs - we're dirty, we're scratched up. I suspect that how you build the body of the gun will determin the danger to your armor. It doesn't have to be heavy, but the weight it does have will be dispersed over the length of the gun (if you do the barrels all the way through), so a little less than half the weight is in front of your armor. Plus, since the grip is - more or less - at the midpoint of the gun, it's weight will be on your hand, and it will merely be resting on your shoulder. As long as you don't slam it onto your shoulder, your armor should be fine.
That said, you may wish to make a simplistic sintra shoulder pauldron for trooping with the Z-6. Sintra is forgiving in the sense that it takes a lot to crack it, AND it's easy a cake to work with. Just cut it to shape (I actually have a template), heat it up along your bend points with a heat gun, and bend it, run it under cold water, and there you go. Just paint it black and your set. Then have a nice shoulder pauldron on the left since the one on the right will be pretty much hidden. You'll want to go buy a black yoga mat or something like that you can cut up and glue to the top of the shoulder pauldron though, that way you'll have something the gun can grip to so it won't slide off.
In addition to that, you may wish to actually pad the inside of that pauldron with some thicker foam (1") just to help protect the armor underneath.
Just something to consider.
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