Spat mentioned Matsuo's cast .50 cal in the thread about his workshop, and I think I had a conversation with him about casting a few years back at DragonCon. (Yes, I could have just PMed Matsuo, but I thought I'd open this up to everyone.)

Anyway, I've already gone over my replica of Ash's chainsaw, so now it's on to his shotgun.

I made my replica from a real 12 gauge double barreled shotgun. For safety purposes, I cut out the triggers, removed the firing pins, and welded it shut. I cut off most of the barrels and epoxied in a ring where the triggers were, so I could 'twirl' it on my finger. (Apparently Ash is the only one cool enough to do that with the real triggers.) Lastly I drilled a hole in the stock and pounded a steel bar in there so the center of gravity is at the trigger ring. Again, for easy twirling.

This makes it fairly heavy, which doesn't bother me all that much. A lighter one would be nice, though. What I do mind is always getting stopped by security. (I know they are just doing their jobs.) I understand I am carrying around a real shotgun that certainly looks functional. But... what if I could have a resin replica? It would be lighter, and I'm sure security would feel a little better about things. So, how about it? If someone can cast a .50 cal, then this should be no problem. I'd love to hear some time and cost talk.

HUMVEE Driver

I think no matter what it's made out of, you'll be stopped.

I'd use the one you have and make a copy using plastic pipe for the barrels and balsa wood or MDF for the stock.

That won't keep you from being stopped, but it should help with the weight issue.

_________________
"Awww, someone tell me that's a boot!

It's a boot!"

III drops

Here you have the dilemma of all prop makers...

Will the sales of a prop offset the cost of having to make it?

Thats the short of it...

Here is the long bit...

To make a prop, no matter what it is ( I don't care if its a casting of a damn stick), takes lots of materials, and loads of time, and of course A LOT of money. There are many varying factors of it as well. How accurate do you want the prop to be? IE do you want a loadable, breech barrel? Do you want a fuctioning trigger? Ect Ect. The more complex the molds, parts, the more expensive the prop. I know I know obviously right?

Second is the prop screen acurate? I know stupid question, but if it isn't somebody somewhere will bitch, point out the flaws, and hurt the sales.

I could go on and on, but to make a rant short.....

It breaks down into two parts...

1. Will it be one gun made for a person?
In this case expect the prop to be expensive....
(Maybe a thousand bucks or more)

or...

2. Is there enough interest, maybe 10+ people
(perhaps with deposits) to cover the costs and make
the prop person a few dollars?
If that being the case the prop maker may eat the cost
to make sales....

_________________
If you accept pocket lint as a currency well I'll take it all!

I can't see making a silicone mold costing a thousand dollars.
Especially when I could do it for a few hundred.
The problem is that I am on the wrong side of the border to help.
Otherwise I would say, send it to me and I can do it for you.
Now, if it is screen accurate, you could very well consider making copies of it to sell.
But then you have to be ready to deal with customers, and shipping, and all that wonderful stuff.

_________________
---------------------------
Scott
13

A10/TQ2.0.42142E1

Now you see, I'd personally love a resin copy of a screen accurate Evil Dead type shotgun, but it would cost so much that I would probably be just as happy with a scratch built version.

But that's just me.

_________________
"Awww, someone tell me that's a boot!

It's a boot!"

III drops

When "I" get stuff moulded, I eat the cost of the prototype and
moulds and I also never take deposits. I've seen too many
projects fall apart and have had good friends get hosed when a
project never actually ships.

Some of the older members may recall the "Deck 36" motion
tracker. It "sold" for around $350 dollars... and only a couple final
kits ever did ship out, despite money having been taken for a lot
more kits.

Having said that, I'd estimate that a shotgun could be moulded for
less than $500, resin... overestimate and say $200. So you're
already at $700. Sell them for $100 a pop, you need to sell 7 to
break even, a few more to make a meager profit.

The traditional rule of thumb seems to be: More pieces/moving
parts = higher cost. I sell my Indy Webley pistols for appx. $150.
There's 5 metal parts (not including screws/bolts), seperate grip
slabs, seperate barrel and grip frame, plus I do all painting and
finishing/weathering. Plus, it's all cast in cold cast resin.

Matsuo for example sells 3 piece pistol kits (Black resin gun plus
seperate grips) for as little as $60 and his kits are WELL worth the
money and I highly recommend them.

And then there's every price inbetween. You just need
to balance the work/kit detail/cost/possible profit and make your
decisions based on that. You tend to sell more of course if the cost
is lower.

Russ

_________________
"A writer needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a filmmaker an army." - Orson Wells.

http://www.rookscastle.com
http://www.alchemyarms.com

Well I'd want a fairly accurate replica of the gun I currently have, with no moving parts at all. Just a big chunk of resin, really.

I even tried contacting a bunch of woodcarvers a while back to see what they thought of this project. I think I only heard back from one or two; quoting something like a thousand dollars. Yikes.

I have no desire to keep the mold and make more of them. If this works out, by all means the caster can have the mold and do whatever he/she wants with it.

I briefly considered making a scratch gun from pipe and balsa or whatever, but I'm very picky about my firearms so that got scrapped soon after.

HUMVEE Driver

What kind of shotgun was used for the film?

_________________
If you accept pocket lint as a currency well I'll take it all!

I don't know what kind it was; those side-by-side 12 gauge double barrels are all very similar. However, I can tell you what it wasn't, it wasn't a 12 gauge double barreled Remington(S-Mart's top-of-the-line). Remington hasn't made a side-by-side double barrel since the 1800's.

HUMVEE Driver

apparently they started again, who knew?

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/SPR_models/SPR220_side-by-side.asp

_________________
Rob Slater
A08/TQ2.0.42136E1

Guys, I don't know where you are buying your silicone, or how you make your molds, but a shotgun will not cost that much to produce.
Unless you are talking about not using a jacketed or mother mold style mold.
I can buy a 5 gallon bucket of silicone at paisley for under $500.00 Canadian.
Thats 5 Gallons of rubber, it would take half of that at best, depending on what kind of thickness you made your rubber.
Unless you are talking about a dump mold where you just stand the thing on its end and waste vast amounts of rubber.
Heck, you could do a really cheap skin mold using the silicone caulking tubes at home depot. Just add a little latex paint.
When the stuff cures make a jacket out of plaster bandage.
Check out smooth on for rubber products.
I'm not sure if monster makers sells silicone.
Or talk to Mat and see if he has something on the go.

_________________
---------------------------
Scott
13

A10/TQ2.0.42142E1

I stand corrected.

HUMVEE Driver

tarim rex beat me too it. i considered those remingtons for skeet shooting (a hobby id like to take up). but yeah they do make side by sides.

_________________
HAVE A SQUIDLY DAY!!!

I do NOT recommend using the silicone caulk. We just tried using that to get a quick pull from a clay master sculpt... and 3 days later it was still wet goo on the underside.

It may work for some people, but I won't be doing it again.

Russ

_________________
"A writer needs a pen, a painter a brush, and a filmmaker an army." - Orson Wells.

http://www.rookscastle.com
http://www.alchemyarms.com

Were you using sulfur free clay ?
I have not had great results with the silicone caulking, however I do know a few people who only use it and nothing else.
In a few monhs I have a friend who would be able to get the rifle across the border (legaly), if you are still stuck.

_________________
---------------------------
Scott
13

A10/TQ2.0.42142E1