Acrylic vintage blaster display

subzero

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Jun 20, 2017
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Just sharing my little creation, I was always obsessed and fascinated with the blasters when I was a kid, and I still love them just as much today so decided to recently start off a blaster collection. This is a cut to order piece of acrylic with polished edges, and iv'e printed out little sticky labels to identify each blaster and stuck on some clear rubber feet on the bottom. This would also look great for somebody who wants to collect all the different versions, you could have one with labels for V1, V2, V3, V4 etc for each blaster, maybe even for different colours too if you wanna get a little 'OCD' with it 8) then saber displays, rifle displays etc.

I only have 2 blasters for this display so far because the rest of them are from my figures, so will be looking forward to getting the display completed. :)

If the guys at GW Acrylic would like to copy this idea for a new product i'd love to get a free one sent out 8) with the identifications actually printed on the plastic instead of just having paper labels...
 

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Bonsai_Tree_Ent

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Cool display dude - but admit it, this is just a fishing post for someone to take pity and post you an Endor Blaster? :D
 

Mini99

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Nice way to show off these weapons, good idea.
Did you see the one that CAS did for all the weapons?

https://collectorarchive.com/cus001

I think this is a great display piece.
 

Robstyley

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This is a really cool idea. I have a lot of spare accessories and have been thinking of doing a weapon/accessory display like this. I want to do a vertical one though like a picture frame or something and think of a way to hold the weapons. I wonder if this could be stood up with a support behind to make it stand? And then something stuck on the surface to hold weapons. I like it anyway though, looks good.
 

subzero

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@Bonsai_Tree_Ent - Haha yes I did get a little upset when I set all the blasters on and looked at the empty Endor blaster space.

@Mini99 - They look cool, I love the helmet display too.

@Robstyley - I was actually wondering of a way to be able to have them fixed on in a non-permanent way to be able to angle it if I wanted to. The displays in that link that Mini99 posted seem to be kind of vacuum sealed onto the display, so maybe something like that could be done with my one and vacuum them on top of the acrylic?
 

Section 8

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There is already a shortage and price hike for accessories before you weapon hoggers waste them on a figureless display. There is limit to acrylics uses. What next? One for Klaatu skirt variants and folk getting prune face cloaks graded.
 

Robstyley

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Section 8 said:
There is already a shortage and price hike for accessories before you weapon hoggers waste them on a figureless display. There is limit to acrylics uses. What next? One for Klaatu skirt variants and folk getting prune face cloaks graded.

What a strange thing to say :eek: People can collect whatever they like. Why not a set of weapons? To me collecting 300 of the same figure is weird but if it's what someone wants to do good luck to them.
 

Section 8

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I didn't say folk couldn't do it. Stuff like this will create yet another thing to collect and fill. It's hard enough to find am imperial gunner gun or pop up sabre without someone needing a spare one to feed their fascination of putting things in acrylic.
 

subzero

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Section 8 said:
I didn't say folk couldn't do it. Stuff like this will create yet another thing to collect and fill. It's hard enough to find am imperial gunner gun or pop up sabre without someone needing a spare one to feed their fascination of putting things in acrylic.

Isn't this what 'collecting' is all about?, focus collecting in the areas you love the most? :wink: if certain collectables dry up then as long as it's happening due to people's love of the hobby & collecting then that's all good in my opinion. For me it's not collecting them to feed a fascination of putting them in acrylic, I have a fascination in the weapons anyway and the added acrylic just makes the collection look nicer and more displayable, instead of just having weapons randomly sat on a shelf.

@Lindo the weapons aren't stuck down, I just have them placed loose on the block, and eventually i'll be getting an extra acrylic display unit to put more figures in and this little blaster collection will be sitting nicely inside that anyway and won't be moved around etc.
 

Lindo

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subzero said:
Section 8 said:
I didn't say folk couldn't do it. Stuff like this will create yet another thing to collect and fill. It's hard enough to find am imperial gunner gun or pop up sabre without someone needing a spare one to feed their fascination of putting things in acrylic.

Isn't this what 'collecting' is all about? :wink: For me it's not collecting them to feed a fascination of putting them in acrylic, I have a fascination in the weapons anyway and the added acrylic just makes the collection look nicer and more displayable, instead of just having weapons randomly sat on a shelf.

@Lindo the weapons aren't stuck down, I just have them placed loose on the block, and eventually i'll be getting an extra acrylic display unit to put more figures in and this little blaster collection will be sitting nicely inside that anyway and won't be moved around etc.
would be worth while seeing if you can think of a way of securing them without sticking them down, them you would be able to stand it up, that would look better than lying down. Might be something as simple as a small spindle glued to the acrylic at each end of the weapon so they can sit freely, if you know what I mean
 

subzero

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Lindo said:
subzero said:
Section 8 said:
I didn't say folk couldn't do it. Stuff like this will create yet another thing to collect and fill. It's hard enough to find am imperial gunner gun or pop up sabre without someone needing a spare one to feed their fascination of putting things in acrylic.

Isn't this what 'collecting' is all about? :wink: For me it's not collecting them to feed a fascination of putting them in acrylic, I have a fascination in the weapons anyway and the added acrylic just makes the collection look nicer and more displayable, instead of just having weapons randomly sat on a shelf.

@Lindo the weapons aren't stuck down, I just have them placed loose on the block, and eventually i'll be getting an extra acrylic display unit to put more figures in and this little blaster collection will be sitting nicely inside that anyway and won't be moved around etc.
would be worth while seeing if you can think of a way of securing them without sticking them down, them you would be able to stand it up, that would look better than lying down. Might be something as simple as a small spindle glued to the acrylic at each end of the weapon so they can sit freely, if you know what I mean

I was half thinking about just using a tiny dot of blu-tac to stick each weapon to it if I was to ever angle it, I suppose it would only need to be at a slight angle to be effective like at 15 or 20 degrees, instead of at 45 degrees or more.
 

Ross_Barr

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Feb 2, 2014
Messages
258
subzero said:
@Bonsai_Tree_Ent - Haha yes I did get a little upset when I set all the blasters on and looked at the empty Endor blaster space.

@Mini99 - They look cool, I love the helmet display too.

@Robstyley - I was actually wondering of a way to be able to have them fixed on in a non-permanent way to be able to angle it if I wanted to. The displays in that link that Mini99 posted seem to be kind of vacuum sealed onto the display, so maybe something like that could be done with my one and vacuum them on top of the acrylic?

I am part owner of CAS and would be thrilled to work with you to help you make the display you want. Any questions, send me a pm or reach me on Facebook messenger.

Mini99 said:
Nice way to show off these weapons, good idea.
Did you see the one that CAS did for all the weapons?

https://collectorarchive.com/cus001

I think this is a great display piece.

Thanks, Mini99!
 

Mini99

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Ross_Barr said:
subzero said:
@Bonsai_Tree_Ent - Haha yes I did get a little upset when I set all the blasters on and looked at the empty Endor blaster space.

@Mini99 - They look cool, I love the helmet display too.

@Robstyley - I was actually wondering of a way to be able to have them fixed on in a non-permanent way to be able to angle it if I wanted to. The displays in that link that Mini99 posted seem to be kind of vacuum sealed onto the display, so maybe something like that could be done with my one and vacuum them on top of the acrylic?

I am part owner of CAS and would be thrilled to work with you to help you make the display you want. Any questions, send me a pm or reach me on Facebook messenger.

Mini99 said:
Nice way to show off these weapons, good idea.
Did you see the one that CAS did for all the weapons?

https://collectorarchive.com/cus001

I think this is a great display piece.

Thanks, Mini99!

Cheques in the post? :lol:
No problems Ross, I honestly thought that this display was amazing, great job.
 

Ross_Barr

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Messages
258
Mini99 said:
Cheques in the post? :lol:
No problems Ross, I honestly thought that this display was amazing, great job.

If we get any additional of those displays to do as a result of this thread and your comments, you get one free loose figure graded by us, how about that? :D

As for that check....... :?:

To be honest, that display is one of my favorite things we have ever done for a collector.
 

Mini99

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Ross_Barr said:
Mini99 said:
Cheques in the post? :lol:
No problems Ross, I honestly thought that this display was amazing, great job.

If we get any additional of those displays to do as a result of this thread and your comments, you get one free loose figure graded by us, how about that? :D

As for that check....... :?:

To be honest, that display is one of my favorite things we have ever done for a collector.

Ross that's very fair, I just wish that you were UK based.
To be honesr, I don't go for grading MOCs, which are my main focus, but do have a few graded loose figures, and your loose figure cases look so much better than mine!
So two plugs in one evening...still no cheque?
:lol: :roll: :?
 

Robstyley

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Lindo said:
Might be something as simple as a small spindle glued to the acrylic at each end of the weapon so they can sit freely, if you know what I mean

Lindo's onto something here, this is the sort of thing I was thinking of. I'm going to have a play around with this idea and see if I can come up with something. It's getting the exact right location for each spindle/sprue so the weapons are in line or where you want them.

I'm thinking piece of A4 stuck to a thick bit of backing cardboard. Lay the weapons out on it where you want them and then stick two pins through the paper/card under each weapon where it will support it best. Then lift the card up almost verticle with a tiny lean and your weapons should stay where they are. Once you remove the weapons and pins the holes will give you a blueprint of where to put the spindles/sprues and then make it out of acrylic or whatever material. You could maybe even put the paper on the acrylic and drill holes through the acrylic where the pin holes are? Then stick tiny rods through the holes. Dunno, just brainstorming :?: I'm too busy this week, I'll have a go at the weekend :)
 

Mini99

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Robstyley said:
Lindo said:
Might be something as simple as a small spindle glued to the acrylic at each end of the weapon so they can sit freely, if you know what I mean

Lindo's onto something here, this is the sort of thing I was thinking of. I'm going to have a play around with this idea and see if I can come up with something. It's getting the exact right location for each spindle/sprue so the weapons are in line or where you want them.

I'm thinking piece of A4 stuck to a thick bit of backing cardboard. Lay the weapons out on it where you want them and then stick two pins through the paper/card under each weapon where it will support it best. Then lift the card up almost verticle with a tiny lean and your weapons should stay where they are. Once you remove the weapons and pins the holes will give you a blueprint of where to put the spindles/sprues and then make it out of acrylic or whatever material. You could maybe even put the paper on the acrylic and drill holes through the acrylic where the pin holes are? Then stick tiny rods through the holes. Dunno, just brainstorming :?: I'm too busy this week, I'll have a go at the weekend :)

Great ideas Rob, if the holes are drilled in the backing very accurately then 2mm acrylic rod could be used to support the weapons as you described.
simplyplastics.com sell rod of 2mm in various lengths at a very cheap cost.
Would you leave the front open to access, or close in with a lift off lid?
Again, just brain storming.
If you do mock this up would love to see the results.
 

subzero

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Make sure to post results i'd love to see this :)

On a serious note, you might know about this or you might not so i'll mention it just in case. Don't use normal CA superglue because when it cures it will turn the acrylic very misty white and will make it brittle, a 2-part resin would be best that doesn't give off much heat when curing.
 

itfciain

Grand Master
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Sep 22, 2010
Messages
7,907
I love this idea and have spoken to someone about getting it produced as well - key is to find the best way to keep the weapons on there

Do like the idea of that as a display though :D
 
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