The Thunderbuss MK IV

[Patrick Hand]

The Thunderbuss MK IV

I started on another ray-gun, the “Thunderbuss MK IV.” I figured that people would be interested in seeing how I put it all together, so I will be taking pictures of the process step by step. I can only play with it occasionally, so it might be awhile between post.

When I start a project like this, I really don't know how it's all going to fit together... I just kind of play with everything and see what fits together the best. I do want to rig it with lights that turn on when I hold the pistol grip (I'm thinking of making a switch that is an extension of the trigger guard). I also want a laser and a piezoelectric buzzer that will activate when the trigger is pulled. Somewhere around here, I have a short piece of El-wire, if I can find that a decide where I want it to light up, I might add that also.

I bought a rifle stock a few weeks ago at a local flea market for $10.00. Originally I was thinking of making it into a largish pistol with a belt hook. But as I was playing with the peaces, I like how it's balanced better as a blunderbuss. Also shown in the picture are some candle sticks that will be turned

This picture shows the barrels cut and soldered together. I found the base to another candlestick, so I used that and one of the candlesticks for the upper part of the barrel. The lower (main) barrel is three different candlesticks cut and soldered together. You can't see it in the picture, but I've sanded the inside of the lower barrel so I can fit a small laser pointer inside of it, that will turn on when I pull the trigger. I still have to make a bracket to hold the upper part of the barrel on.

I started by cutting off the front part of the stock, I then used my bench grinder to roughly shape the front of the stock. Then using my Dremel, with a sanding drum, I've carefully inleted the lower barrel into the stock. I can't take off too much wood under the stock, there is a cut-out where the original rifles magazine was. I might make a “hatch” in the base of the stock, (where the magazine was) so I can hold a 9 volt battery to run all of the lights and buzzer later.

With just the lower barrel in place, the center of balance is right at where the trigger will be. With the upper barrel assembly on and all of the tubing, it will move the center of balance forward, but I'm thinking of making a sort of “Patch box” for it full of interesting greebly bits, and a Kentucky style brass butt plate for it, so that should throw the center of balance back to about the pistol grip....

Unfortunately, the original inletting for the receiver is larger than the candlestick barrel, leaving some gaps. I might fill some of the gaps with epoxy putty but I'm pretty sure that I will be able to hide most of the gaps when I add all of the tubing and greebly bits later.

[Commodore Swab]

Would it work to wrap the voided areas in leather?

[Guest]

Well sometimes stuff just doesn’t work as planned. I cut-out a chunk of heavy sheet aluminum, sanded it smooth, and drilled the holes to make a bracket to hold the upper barrel. But I just couldn't get it to fold how I wanted it... Rats. So now I'm trying to cut-down a chunk of 3/4” conduit and clean it up,and try to use that. I may have to heat blue it tho... if it rusted, that may not be the best look.

I don't think using leather to fill some of the gaps would have the look that I'm going for. Wood putty or sawdust mixed with glue may work, but it would still look like it was patched. Epoxy putty or Sculpty might look like bedding or insulation...But I'm trying to figure out how to make the gaps look like they were intended to be there, and are part of the project.

[Commodore Swab]

So leave the gaps and fill them with various resistors and electrical odds and ends that can be epoxied in place

[Red-Handed Jill]

How about copper sheeting? That looks good when it's pounded. (And if you make it to NorCal and Jackie and Wheezer can find it in their garage, some is available for you.)

[madPete]

put the candlestick in a glass tube and mount the glass tube. You could fill the tube with colored liquid or something....

or any kind of tube with multiple holes drilled in it to show the brass inside.

Edited May 31, 2012 by madPete

[Capn Bloody Sam Rackham]

Make a copper coil around the thinnest part of the "barrel" to fill the void. It can be the cooling device.

[Guest]

I'm not really worrying too much about it yet... a glass tube wouldn't quite work,(it might break) but it is a good idea for maybe a copper tube with cut-outs... the copper coil idea would be interesting also.....

I'm still grinding down a chunk of conduit to act as a brace for the upper barrel....not getting as much done on it lately as I'd like....

[Guest]

I finally got around to getting some brass strapping to make a trigger guard and magazine compartment.... so now I have to get back to work on the Thunderbuss MK IV...

Just for S&G, I looked at some of the Steampunk ray-guns for sale on etsey.... $35.00 for a repainted Nerf gun ?....

So I got thinking about a money making venture.... but decided to look up that orange tip law for toy guns.... The ray-guns have the configuration of a gun, so they would need a 6mm orange tip ...I don't know if arguing that they are designed as pre-1898 guns would work....Dang, I started making ray-guns, so the would Not be mistaken for anything real....

guess I'll have to do some more research on this one.....

[Matty Bottles]

Do those etsy repainted Nerf guns have orange tips?

[oderlesseye]

Eye have been still active in the steam punk genre and as such have been getting picture here and there..

Eye just came up with this to communicate time travel.

[Cascabel]

So I got thinking about a money making venture.... but decided to look up that orange tip law for toy guns.... The ray-guns have the configuration of a gun, so they would need a 6mm orange tip ...I don't know if arguing that they are designed as pre-1898 guns would work....Dang, I started making ray-guns, so the would Not be mistaken for anything real....

guess I'll have to do some more research on this one.....

Just another example of a poorly conceived and badly written law by lawmakers that have no knowledge about what they are making rules about. They also refuse to listen to people that actually know something about the subject !!!

........stepping down from my soapbox now.

[Jas. Hook]

Aye and anyone to speak out against them are demonized gun lobbyist.

Cascabel, let me give ye a hand stepping down.