'Advanced' modding (plastics)

ambro25

Just ordered a '5K from Gunner (trying out the other main HK cheapsoft outlet to compare with Keith).

Now, I don't like the fact that the front grip is moulded in and can't be taken off, so I intend to buy a spare Marui front grip/receiver 'for show' (or use as intended) and mod the Galaxy part with cutting off the grip.

Thing is, I haven't done any modelling in many years, so am well out of touch with techniques, materials etc. to make the remaining portion of the part look original (i.e. don't want to end up with an ugly 'rash' where the 'grip' portion fuses with the 'body' portion). Any advice from you very helpful guys?

Below, what I intend to do, with my über-MS Paint skillz (cut off grip + try and keep "curve" of portion):

kdouglas

dont know if you'll get a perfect finish, but your best bet would be to chop it off, sand down the protruding bits and then fill in the hole with some form of plastic resin, cant think of the name of the stuff now, but someone will know what i mean...

then when you've got a nice clean finish on it, spray the grip with krylon to get a nice finish, that way you can't see the lines between the filler and the original grip

Wossack

hacksaw + bondo

easy enough job I'd say

kdouglas

Wossack wrote:

hacksaw + bondo

easy enough job I'd say

yes! bondo, that's what i couldn't think of!

Fallschirmjager

Ambro, certainly not on topic... how do you intend to hold it? holding it with a pistol grip might be tough as most of the weight in the receiver is forward of you hand..i know its plastic, but in a few hours of playing, might be tough on the wrist..


also whats the suss on your new shiny dboys m4..well.well..should i hit the button to buy or leave it alone??

tonyj_mc

just to warn ya i ordered off gunner a little while ago, no communication, no e-mail no nothing, not even replying to e-mails/quries from the site then i came home one dy and found an atempted delivery docket. kinda annoying but only took about two weeks

ambro25

Thx for all that guys.

I'll try & avoid bondo - ideally, just hacksaw off most of it, then sandpaper down to flush finish, then krylon.

I intend to hold it either one-handed (but also supported by sling) or carbine-style (which I very much prefer for anything, however small - bar pistols of course).

Soz about the M4 review, never got a chance to even get near it this w/e. Still haven't fired it yet, waiting for a reasonably clear and *especially* windless day so I can zero it at same time. Fallschirm - press the button, build quality's there, it's worth every penny even if you end up having to replace/upgrade internals

(In hindsight, I'd have bought the CQB-R though. Ne'er mind, I'll buy an ICS M4 CQB in due course instead )

Thx Tonyj - I'm aware Gunner isn't as reliable as Keith in the comms department. But then I get 2x JG metal hicaps on top of the '5K, still for €10 less than RSOV, and that's incl. shipping! And now that I've got the M4 (and yet to show my face at HRTA), I'm in no rush. It was the empty mag pockets on my tacvest that decided me, the TM Benelli can wait a lil' longer...

Trust f***ing JG to start coming out with full metal MP5s now that I've ordered the '5K :rolleyes:

Wossack

Unfortunately, I can almost guarantee that its gonna be hollow when you cut it off - you're gonna need a filler of some sort I'd say

ambro25

Oh? Bondo it might be, then... saying that, I did use to build canoes/kayaks, so I s'pose I still could make a forepart out of fiberglass instead... guess I'll see when it turns up.

Wossack

aye, you wont know till you see it

hopefully the plastic isnt too textured either - speckled grip effect or the like, as that might be hard to replicate

I quite like the front grip though, ah well!

Fallschirmjager

thanks ambro thats great news...

good to know its looks good..like you i will gut it eventually...

ambro25

Update to this - Just had to think about it 5 mins more and sorted the issue: I'm just going to replace the molded-in handle with a short RIS rail (prob. for a G36C or the like, cut to size) - hey presto: put a handle on or off, or anything else (torch/laser.. M203 LOL!), and no worries about whether there's a hole left after cutting the handle.

Fallschirmjager

ambro25 wrote:

Update to this - Just had to think about it 5 mins more and sorted the issue: I'm just going to replace the molded-in handle with a short RIS rail (prob. for a G36C or the like, cut to size) - hey presto: put a handle on or off, or anything else (torch/laser.. M203 LOL!), and no worries about whether there's a hole left after cutting the handle.

now that is very smart...and handy as well...

kdouglas

good idea, should give a much nice finish too