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Author Topic: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons  (Read 1535 times)

Offline 6milPhil

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Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« on: June 04, 2019, 06:47:06 PM »
I've had a search for sculpting hand weapons, I'll be using greenstuff, and not really found anything. So I'm wondering if someone with more experience than me might be able to offer tips and advice or share an online tutorial.

Thanks in advance.  :)

Offline tom q vaxy

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2019, 06:53:52 PM »
I would encourage a wire armature & styrene, and then build up putty from there.  I think solely greenstuff, as is, will only bring you heartache & pain.

using your phrase as a search, I came up with quite a few hits:

https://forum.reapermini.com/index.php?/topic/42887-sculpting-weapons/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auoQpjKuy3w

https://knuckleduster40mm.blogspot.com/2009/03/sculpting-pistols.html
« Last Edit: June 04, 2019, 06:56:57 PM by tom q vaxy »

Online Cubs

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2019, 06:57:59 PM »
For sword blades, I use a hair grip or piece of flat wire, ground to shape with a cutting disk.
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Offline zemjw

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2019, 08:10:38 PM »
Tom Mason has a lot of sculpting videos, with at least one on sculpting swords - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIHZ1T-dluA

Offline snitcythedog

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2019, 09:17:28 PM »
From what I can remember bladed weapons are usually sculpted with a harder putty.  They hold their shape better and can be sanded or planed down where straight green stuff can be difficult.
Here are some links for blades using milliput.
http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?6273
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-HO0nv5T9M
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Offline 6milPhil

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2019, 10:18:01 AM »
All great answers, thanks!  8)

I would encourage a wire armature & styrene, and then build up putty from there.  I think solely greenstuff, as is, will only bring you heartache & pain.
using your phrase as a search, I came up with quite a few hits:

That would be my first choice tbh, it's what I did when I made some guns, but it adds a stage to the metal casting process which I'm looking to avoid. ;)
When I claimed to have searched I meant on LAF, apologies for not being clear.

For sword blades, I use a hair grip or piece of flat wire, ground to shape with a cutting disk.

That's a good tip, I may well have a play with that.

Tom Mason has a lot of sculpting videos, with at least one on sculpting swords - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIHZ1T-dluA

Great vid -ta.

From what I can remember bladed weapons are usually sculpted with a harder putty.  They hold their shape better and can be sanded or planed down where straight green stuff can be difficult.
Here are some links for blades using milliput.
http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?6273
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-HO0nv5T9M

Good stuff. Yeah millliput is good for harder edges, I may well try a mix of GS and Milliput.  One prob I've discovered when it come to having milliput vulcanised is it often turns to dust. 8)
« Last Edit: June 05, 2019, 02:15:15 PM by 6milPhil »

Offline Brandlin

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2019, 10:49:11 AM »
Brown stuff is the material that you want. It is formulated to be firmer and hold an edge better than greenstuff, can be sanded and carved with sharoer detais too. It is excellent for swords and other square edged/sharp edged items

I say browns stuff IS... but what I should say is WAS. The manufacturers stopped making it some time ago due to "lack of demand". I found a couple of retailers that had left over stock some time ago but i found that my stocks were old enough to have 'gone off' :(

Offline 6milPhil

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2019, 02:18:56 PM »
Allo Brandlin haven't seen you around for AGES! Hope all's good with you and yours. Yeah I've been looking at other putties too, I've only really recently got into GS from milliput that's how cutting edge I am.  ;)

I had a play making some oversized flats to have a try of the techniques, and took a blurry photo.  :?



Tricky just doing one half on a flat surface, I imagine the real thing will be nightmarish. Oh well onward and upwards.... hopefully.

Offline zemjw

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2019, 06:33:29 PM »
You could always go down the digital route and print out the master from somewhere like shapeways. I've done that with rifles and pistols, although not for casting afterwards.

Offline 6milPhil

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #9 on: June 06, 2019, 11:36:53 AM »
Yeah, I've had a play with 3D and came away thinking how on a keyboard the £ sign is on the 3 key so if you accidently type £D instead of 3D you've actually become more accurate.  ;)

Offline Daeothar

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2019, 11:47:56 AM »
It may not be exactly what you're after, but you could give shaping actual metal a try perhaps?

Using a good set of needle/jeweler's files, I had some pretty good results shaping blades. I used a left over brass strip at the time, but I reckon a strip of aluminum might be easier to work with. I then used ProCreate to sculpt the hand guards, pommel etc.

As an aside; ProCreate might be a good substitute for Brown Stuff, as it can also be filed and/or sanded, since it can be mixed to dry really hard.
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Offline Ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2019, 05:24:14 PM »
I have used aluminium welding rod. You can flatten the rod with a hammer to get the blade, file the blade edge with files and use the unflattened rod as a tang. If you want a curved blade you shape the rod before flattening?

Offline 6milPhil

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2019, 12:53:14 PM »

I may well give metal a try, I'll have to have a poke around and see what I have you hand. If you hear of a bloke stabbing himself to death in the S.E. of England on the news that'll be me...  ;)

I'm still playing with flats to improve my technique before trying a full sword, so still over size too. These are all just as they cured with no extra work on them. Using various mixes of milliput and green stuff. Pure GS on the left, 66/34 in the next two, 50/50 in the next four and just milliput fine on the right. The mixes are working well as it produces a putty with the benefits of both, ie: sharper edges and a surprising amount of flexibility. I found Milliput fine a bit "chalky" on it's own tbh. Better picture this time.  ::)


Online Cubs

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2019, 02:24:43 PM »
The Greenstuff/Milliput blend is my 'go-to' these days for most sculpting bits and pieces (small stuff, minor conversions and the like). As you say, it's a nice compromise between plasticity and crispness.

Offline 6milPhil

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Re: Looking for tips for sculpting hand weapons
« Reply #14 on: June 09, 2019, 12:41:27 PM »
What's your preferred ratio?