3D Printed Scout Hold-out Blaster

[Altair]

I'm not building a scout (yet... haha!) but a hold-out blaster was nice and small to toy around with the idea of building blaster props using ABS 3D printed parts... so I thought I would share my first attempt

Here are the raw printed parts



One of the issues with 3D prints is the texture due to the very fine layers. There are a few methods to improve the end result:

• Sanding (however the walls maybe too thin)
  
• Some sort of putty (like liquid green stuff)
  
• Acetone wash (either directly applied or a "vapor bath")
  

For this build I wanted to retain some texture (thought it might add to the overall look) so I used liquid green stuff and sanding. Here are the parts primed after using this method...





I scored some scratches on the handle after dropping this one! Battle damage?



The CRL states you can use flat or semi-gloss black for these blasters, I decided to go with a satin black.



Some light weathering was added with "steel" coloured paint and dry brushing.



Then everything got a satin clear coat. Here is the end result...









Honestly, I would say this one came out OK. It is very light weight and fairly cheap to produce. I happy enough with the finish using the liquid green stuff... but next time I think I would try using the acetone vapor bath method.

Anyway hope this is of some interest