Mini Space Gun Prop by Lensor Radii

DIMENSIONS: 4" x 3" x 0.59" | 101.6mm x 76.2mm x 15mm

Why did I make this?

I was inspired by Bill Doran of Punished Props, and decided to model something I've had in my head for a while. I dove into Fusion 360, and this is what popped out. This is my first prop I've designed, but I'm really happy with how it turned out, and please, post a make if you print one! I'd love to see them out in the world. :)

Tolerances

Each piece will slot into the body, and has registration to ensure proper placement. The clearance in-between these registration parts is the only difference between the standard and 'loose' models, although both will glue up just fine. Standard models have a clearance of 0.1mm between separately printed pieces, which results in a nice tight fit that lines the pieces up very precisely. If your printer isn't dialed in as much, or you have trouble with fitting the smaller tolerances together for some reason, I have designed a 'loose-fitting' version which has a clearance of 0.4mm. This should be printable on just about any FDM printer with a standard 0.4mm nozzle. If you have a specific need, like the clearance re-sized or one of the registration pieces re-designed, just let me know and I will do my best to help you out!

How to print

Print one of each STL, one at a time (otherwise you will get stringing, and some pieces will have trouble sticking down). You will have to change the orientation of a few of the models, but each one prints without supports. I recommend a good amount of infill (more than %20), as the prop ends up quite light as it is.

I have found a rubber band very apt when gluing. After gluing up the whole top surface and registration bit of the handle, I wrapped the band around the body right behind the rear sights, and the bottom of the handle, at a slight angle. This held the handle in nicely and allowed the glue to dry. At this time, I also set the body in some clay upside-down, so the handle is sticking up into the air, and the body is held in place quite firmly by the form-fitting clay (make sure to use the same color as your filament, otherwise it will leave marks). This allows me to glue the trigger in it's place, using good ol' gravity to squish the glue down as it is too small/awkward to clamp or put a rubber band around. After that glue dries completely, I move on to the trigger gaurd, gluing both the flat surface to the handle, and the registration into the body at the same time. For the barrel, I still want to re-design this bit, but for now, it is quite difficult to keep straight for gluing (unless using CA glue and hardener). The best method I found was folding up some small bits of paper to act as wedges on two or three sides of the barrel, keeping it equidistant from the edges. If you find another method, let me know in the comments! If you can't seem to keep it aligned with the body, drop a comment, and I will put some time into re-designing how the barrel slots into the body for an easier glue-up.