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Mandalorian Armor => Equipment & Accessories => Weapons Armory => Topic started by: Jerex Ker on Aug 07, 2011, 07:30 PM

Title: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Jerex Ker on Aug 07, 2011, 07:30 PM
I googled "Star Wars EMP grenade" and came across this picture:
(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/Emp_grenade-1.jpg)

I am not sure if it is actually from anything Star Wars-related, as the image was on a non-Star Wars website, but I liked it and decided to use it as the inspiration for my own EMP grenades.

The components I used for this were:
a) (1) 1" compression coupling (approx $6.00)
b) (7) 2" x 3"16" o-rings ($0.99 ea.)
c) (2) black plastic end caps ($0.35 ea.)
d) (2) red plastic end caps ($1.25 for a bag of 25)

(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_0257-1.jpg)(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_00012-1.jpg)

Once I disassembled the compression coupling, I discarded the o-rings and plastic rings that came with it, as they would not be visible in the finished product, but they could certainly be left in.
There is minimal sanding needed to remove lettering along the outer edges of the end caps. I left the lettering along the shaft as that area will be entirely covered.
Next I primed and painted the coupling pieces metallic silver:
(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_0259-1.jpg)(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_0260-1.jpg)

These are the only parts I painted, as I wanted the metal washer piece to retain its metallic-ness and stand out against the painted metallic color.
I added a thin layer of foam around the shaft to even out the ridges of the coupling and to add a little extra thickness so the o-rings wouldn't be loose. Then the o-rings were installed:
(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_00013-1.jpg)(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_00032-1.jpg)

Next I sanded the paint off the ends of the internal pipe and glued on the end caps. First the black ones, which sit nicely inside the interal pipe, and then the red ones on top of those:
(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_0004-1.jpg)(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_0005-1.jpg)

Next, I sanded down the edges of the end caps and glued the metal washers to them:
(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_0006-1.jpg)

Finally, the end caps are screweb back onto the main body:
(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_0007-1.jpg)

As a final touch I used transparent black paint to weather a couple of the grenades I made. The following picture shows two freshly finished (left) and two weathered (right):
(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_0008-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Jarvis Dimmias Falco on Aug 07, 2011, 09:13 PM
Very nice..... ;D
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: A'den Aaray on Aug 07, 2011, 09:13 PM
those are awesome
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Zazarus on Aug 07, 2011, 09:26 PM
I might use this as a design base for something I am looking at doing.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Mina_Toyla on Aug 07, 2011, 11:07 PM
Those are really cool, good job vod.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Zolar Kresh on Aug 08, 2011, 02:36 AM
Those look really good.... may "borrow" the idea to make some as well for my kit
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Niabi on Aug 08, 2011, 12:41 PM
Looks great vod. I like them a lot ;D
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Spanner Murraan on Aug 08, 2011, 12:50 PM
These really do look great, Jerex.  A little blackwash and I say they are perfect.  Maybe have to throw a few of these together for the V2 kit!
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Jerex Ker on Aug 08, 2011, 12:53 PM
Originally I had used clothes hangar wire to fashion hooks to hang the grenades from my ammo belt. This was functional, and looked fine so long as they remained on the belt, but looked funny when removed and held. I decided to ditch the wire and fashion leather harnesses to hold them:

(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/IMG_00014-1.jpg)

I have made this modular, in a sense. This current arrangement permits the grenades to hang horizontally from a belt, but the section that actually holds the grenades can be detached from the loop strap, permitting me to fashion something else later should I want to hang them vertically or even attach them directly to an ammo belt.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Remo Jadd on Aug 08, 2011, 01:10 PM
these look great Jerex.  ;)
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Kelan Ord on Aug 08, 2011, 01:57 PM
This is very very good work...! Might try something like it...!  :)
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Jerek Darr on Aug 08, 2011, 02:35 PM
Those are BEAUTIFUL! There is absolutely no one who could look at those, with no previous info on what they are, and not see a grenade.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: elijahdprophet on Aug 08, 2011, 02:51 PM
These are great! I have a feeling you will be seeing these pop up around quite a bit.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Ref Al'drann on Aug 09, 2011, 03:01 AM
Wow, really great use of materials.  I bet we're going to be seeing a lot of these around! (including on my V2)
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Dar'manda on Aug 09, 2011, 09:58 AM
Very nice work!  I love how you broke down all the parts and process.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Hujoe Bigs on Aug 09, 2011, 07:36 PM
I definitely like how these look, I will most likely be using this idea if you don't mind. Only thing that sucks is I will have to fashion a leather harness of my own and I've never worked with leather, but been wanting to. Thanks for the break down.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Zazarus on Aug 09, 2011, 08:10 PM
Working with leather is more intimidating than anything else. Doing sewing can be a little bit of an issue but if you do Chicago screws or rivets it's pretty easy and most cities have something like Tandy leather company and most of the time they will pretty helpful with showing how put on like snaps and such. Also leather, rivets, Chicago screws, leather hole punch and rivet gun are always in my bag of stuff that go to every troop I do for field repairs.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Ralin Voth on Aug 09, 2011, 09:00 PM
Wow, that's awesome! Gonna have to try and make something like these myself.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Rokeim Gekla on Aug 09, 2011, 10:16 PM
where's the like button.....
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Thaxos on Aug 09, 2011, 10:42 PM
Those are some sexy grenades!  8)

This should definitely be put up in the tutorials section. You cool with my adding this to the Mercs Wiki?
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Jerex Ker on Aug 09, 2011, 11:24 PM
Sure... add away, Thaxos.

Hujoe, I only started working with leather a few weeks ago... and now have made three holsters (four counting the one that was a design failure), two grenade harnesses, and a couple belts for my kit. I next want to work on a couple matching pouches. I haven't done any sewing yet, sticking with rivets and snaps. My one word of advice to the novice leather worker would be: measure thrice, cut once.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Hujoe Bigs on Aug 10, 2011, 01:16 AM
Yeah, between this and the leather holster tut, I really wanna try this and I think I'll be able to handle it. So i thank you for getting me to try something else. I don't know how to sew (and I don't wanna break the machine I have access to) so I'll be sticking to rivets and snaps like you said. I would like to mimic the holster as well because it seems like it would be the best way to show off the lovely nades. One question, where were the end caps located, I believe I will have a devil of a time finding those buggers otherwise.

Edit : I'm a retard and retract part of my statement.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Jerex Ker on Aug 10, 2011, 02:27 AM
I got both the end caps at Ellliott's Hardware. I don't recall if they have more specific names... just looked around until I found what I thought would work.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Thaxos on Aug 11, 2011, 02:00 PM
If you want to make it a more formal writeup (doesn't necessarily have to be) just submit it over here:
http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?board=29.0
If you're fine with it as is, that's cool too.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Brian Sommers on Aug 11, 2011, 10:00 PM
Ok so I borrowed your Idea but slightly modified it. Instead of using caps I used a plug and an actual depression switch from an electronics supply store.(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae242/besommers1/100_0237.jpg)(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae242/besommers1/100_0236.jpg)
I then used my dremel to sand the cap down enough to invert the washer and trimmed the inner piece to give that indented look(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae242/besommers1/100_0234.jpg)
Now this is what it looks like(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae242/besommers1/100_0238.jpg)
Unfortunately my hardware store was out of the o rings and I still need to paint.
Here is a side view(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae242/besommers1/100_0239.jpg)
I cant wait to finish this.

OK so here is my finished project
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae242/besommers1/100_0241.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae242/besommers1/100_0246.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae242/besommers1/100_0242.jpg)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae242/besommers1/100_0248.jpg)

I must admit this turned out nicely however after slightly modifying your version and comparing mine to yours I definitely like your bowed out version better then my bowed in. but I will say that this is simple quick and easy to do. The hardest part for me was locating the o rings. only one store in my town sells them and I had to use a different size than stated.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Khor Mariik on Dec 09, 2011, 05:28 PM
These are awesome and I'm working on a pair now, though I'm using 3/4" couplings as I'm having a nearly impossible time finding the 2" O rings for the 1" couplings. WHat glue did you use to hold the metal ring to the plastic coupling? Did it stay long term?

Thanks for any info.

Khor
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Brian Sommers on Dec 09, 2011, 05:37 PM
I used lock tight super glue.  It has held so far.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Kad-Rebo on Dec 09, 2011, 05:45 PM
Looking awesome vod!!! :) I really like 'em :)
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Jerex Ker on Dec 10, 2011, 12:34 AM
I used a gel super glue so the glue wouldn't run while I placed the washer. Of the four grenades I have made so far, one washer popped off after some manhandling at GI Joe Con, but that it is all. So far they have held up pretty well. I may try epoxy on the next ones I make to see if it gives a better hold.
Title: Re: Jerex Ker's EMP Grenades
Post by: Ref Al'drann on Dec 10, 2011, 02:07 AM
(http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee431/DarinFett/Weapons/EMP%20Grenades/Emp_grenade-1.jpg)

Ever since you posted this forever ago, I've been trying to figure out what the end caps remind me of and I just finally realized what it is:

(http://www.reapermini.com/forum/uploads/monthly_05_2007/post-2668-1178402780_thumb.jpg)

The old citadel paint bottles caps. Obviously they're too small to be used, but I noticed Falin has just the thing, they're air fresheners:

(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx161/AdenSkirata/102_4851.jpg)