Tutorial: Custom flame effects (UPDATED w/ flame-stands)

tigertank · **Joined:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:52 pm

Beats buying SW figs now. Same principle work for Jetpack blasts ie building a base akin to the Fett one?

Darko · **Joined:** Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:19 am

tigertank wrote:

Beats buying SW figs now. Same principle work for Jetpack blasts ie building a base akin to the Fett one?

You theoretically *could*, but it would take a TON of hot glue to make it sturdy enough to hold a figure aloft. Of course, you could solve that by constructing some sort of frame and building the hot-glue flames on top of that, I guess.

cabanajack · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:02 pm

NEATO - I'm going to do this to my BODY!

joemichaels70 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:04 pm

cabanajack wrote:

NEATO - I'm going to do this to my BODY!

this post is USELESS without PICS!

:lol:

raptor · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:30 pm

Darko wrote:

tigertank wrote:

Beats buying SW figs now. Same principle work for Jetpack blasts ie building a base akin to the Fett one?

You theoretically *could*, but it would take a TON of hot glue to make it sturdy enough to hold a figure aloft. Of course, you could solve that by constructing some sort of frame and building the hot-glue flames on top of that, I guess.

The vehicle packs come with clear plastic props that could be used as a base for this. You could then use the clear plastic ties as a base for sticking out the sides.

Actually between the hot glue and the clear twist tie, you could do some awesome stuff.

- R

narceron · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:57 pm

yeah, lets see pics, raps.

Oneforceleader · **Joined:** Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:19 am

ZombieGuide wrote:

I think Darko just earned most helpful customizer for the 08 JC awards.

D-A-R-K-O gooooo Darko.... :shifty:

Ok that was kind of gay. However that is an extremely helpful tip I gotta get me a glue gun.

narceron · **Posted:** Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:05 pm

But then again, I am stoked about not having to buy any more emperor figures.

lol.

Outback 100% Argento · **Joined:** Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:19 am

Really excelent tutorial! very simple to understand and to do.

Kambei · **Posted:** Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:25 pm

Just ordered a cool melt glue gun. Waiting for it to arrive to see if I can improve on the major phail I had with the hot melt gun.

Rambo · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2009 5:37 pm

Excellent tutorial!

raptor · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:46 pm

It appears that there is an art to doing this that I have yet to master. I can't seem to get the glue to come out looking like something that could be painted into flames or electricity. It may be due to the use of a dollar store glue gun, but I am not getting anything like the clean stuff Darko does.

I amalso having some trouble getting the tinfoil to come off. Again, I am using dollar store stuff, but you'd think that that stuff would all be pretty much the same.

- R

ThMick · **Posted:** Tue Jan 13, 2009 1:30 am

raptor wrote:

It appears that there is an art to doing this that I have yet to master. I can't seem to get the glue to come out looking like something that could be painted into flames or electricity. It may be due to the use of a dollar store glue gun, but I am not getting anything like the clean stuff Darko does.

I amalso having some trouble getting the tinfoil to come off. Again, I am using dollar store stuff, but you'd think that that stuff would all be pretty much the same.

- R

It helps to keep the glue as cool as possible, yet still melted, while you're working with it, so that it is thick enough to build up. The hotter it is, the thinner it is, and the stickier it is. Also, occasionally wipe the tip of the gun, the way you would a soldering iron. Goofy as it may sound, you want the glue to be about as thick as cake icing, slow deliberate movements help with this.

The best tip that I can give for the foil is to make sure that the shiny side is out, as it is smoother than the flat side, and gives less surface for the glue to adhere to; vaseline can help, but can be a betch to get off the glue before painting.

Darko · **Joined:** Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:19 am

Yeah, don't let the glue get very hot at all. Unplug the glue gun as needed throughout the process in order to keep it from getting too hot. Also, you might want to try Reynold's Release foil (I use regular foil, but I imagine that the non-stick stuff would be even easier to work with). In the end, it's really just practice. Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can do it.

drbindy · **Posted:** Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:29 pm

Well, I need to try this again myself, with the gun set to a cooler setting. But here's what I wrote in the critiques section, about my own phail, which led to my much less satisfying "Tesla Coil" alternative (also inspired by Darko's method herein):

Quote:

This coil is a serviceable alternative to anyone who ended up with a big pile of glue stuck to the weapon they were modding, as did I.

I'm not giving up on the technique yet, but trial run number 1 gave me a better appreciation for the skill of Darko in executing that effect, at least as much as the brilliance of him coming up with it.

In the meantime, until that skill improves, look for more EXCAL weapons coming soon, such as the hi-tech glue-bludgeon, the energized "glue stick", the "yuck what the hell is that" method of sending your enemies fleeing, and so forth.

Tutorial: Custom flame effects (UPDATED w/ flame-stands)

Who is online