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Metal densities/weights

 
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SCOFFMAN
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Joined: 23 Mar 2008
Posts: 126
Location: Spokane, WA

PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 7:27 am    Post subject: Metal densities/weights Reply with quote

FYI - here's a website that lists the densities/weights of many metals and alloys just so you can compare the differences between aluminum, tin, steel, etc. I figured those of you that are modding blasters might find this info of use to see how changing out various parts will impact the overall weight of your replica.

Happy modding!

http://www.simetric.co.uk/si_metals.htm

Scoff
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joberg
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Joined: 06 Oct 2008
Posts: 9447

PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 8:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Scoff, good idea indeed for the future builders Wink
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Bwood
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Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Posts: 843

PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 10:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Probably a dumb question BUT, should we just substitute tin for pewter?
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hauptmann
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Joined: 26 May 2010
Posts: 106
Location: California

PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 11:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Where weight is concerned, yes. The specific gravities are essentially the same.

Tin is quite heavy compared to aluminum though, so if you want a properly weighted blaster, parts such as the bulldog grip frame, additional outer grip frame, grip buttplate and cylinder "sideplate" covers should be made of aluminum, as it seems (from what I've learned here) that they were of aluminum on the original prop. I gather that both Sid and Rich used pewter on those parts because it was more cost and production effective to make them in pewter rather than aluminum.

I was pretty surprised at how heavy all the parts cast only in pewter were on my Coyle PS SE, and am changing out all the pewter parts that should have been in aluminum but were in pewter, for aluminum. The outer grip frame and grip butt plate can be fabbed from 1/2" plate with a bandsaw and files, so they're pretty easy. The cylinder covers really should be sand cast or die cast, as they're really too difficult to fabricate with simple tools.

For me, having a "heavy" prop is good, within certain limits. The resin blasters I have are both too light, but I think a full metal done only in pewter (with the requisite plastic parts) is -too heavy-. A real gun has some heft, but those pewter parts tip the scale too much. It's really surprising how much weight is saved just by making the outer grip frame of aluminum. And it's not that hard to do.
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propsjonnyb
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Joined: 16 Jul 2009
Posts: 476
Location: Helmdon, Northamptonshire UK

PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 1:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tin and aluminium casting is not for the feighthearted or the hobbyist as it requires specialised equipment , I have no real issue with sheet aluminium beig used to fabricate parts many have done so quite successfully and I know a few who have used sheet steel as well. Pewter is an easy metal to cast and finish for the hobbyist , it approximates the weight of steel reasonably well , ( personally I'd prefer all brass as it's easier to surface treat ( but I doubt Rich will change just for me - joke !)
If you had an amuminium inner and outer frame married to a steel Styer upper a steel CA gunframe plus drum and a steel barrel then the balance of the gun would be off somewhat, hence a S/Steel outer and inner handle and butt plate addresses that balance ( or pewter for the replicas) , it doesn't matter too much if the inner handle is aluminium , as this issue is irrelevant if you just want a display piece . Building the replica either way does not effect the look of the gun - only the handling, when you come to pick one up - unless you want to get as accurate to the hero as possible , but I'll bet Rich's 'new' blank firing replica will be the most accurate yet both in looks and feel.
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joberg
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Joined: 06 Oct 2008
Posts: 9447

PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As for "look and feel" we're talking about a movie prop and a gun that doesn't exist in real life...real life as in: why would you put a cut-up Steyr upper on top of a perfectly balanced existing gun kind-of- stuff Shocked and, to boot, that Steyr is just for look and not operational Exclamation I understand that, despite this fact, you'd like some kind of "heft/feel" of a real weapon...you'll have to experiment with various metals (as others have suggested early) and see what feels right (or wrong).

Now that Rich is proposing a real firing gun will add to the complexities of owing a real weapon in terms of balance, heft/feel Wink
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