Hey Everyone, and welcome back to Hoffman Engineering.
I'm working on the Mordin Solus project,
my attempt at a Mordin Solus Cosplay to
celebrate the release of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.
Last video we printed and assembled the Carnifex Pistol,
designed by jess the mullet.
This is what we ended with, all assembled,
and smoothed with wood filler.
So now it's time for paint!
First step in painting is primer.
Specifically, this is Filler Primer,
a thick primer that is perfect for helping
smooth out the layer lines of 3D prints.
If you want to learn more about that technique,
you can see my video on Filler Primer linked in the cards.
I sprayed an even coat and let it dry for a day.
Then using 220 grit sandpaper,
I sanded down the high points.
The process was repeated 2 more times,
for a total of 3 coats of filler primer.
The end result is a smooth surface,
with most of the 3D printed layer lines hidden.
The Carnifex has a two-tone color scheme.
I used painters tape to mask off the handle sections,
then used a Rustoleum Gunmetal Gray spray paint
to paint the top sections, the trigger,
and the bottom grip connections.
Two coats of spray paint,
waiting a couple of minutes in between each coat.
Before the paint had fully cured,
I removed the painters tape to leave a nice clean edge.
The next day I could mask off the gunmetal gray sections,
and paint the grips with a Rustoleum Flat Black spray paint.
I used the same process as before,
where I applied two thing coats a few minutes apart.
Once the paint had started to dry,
I removed the masking and let the paint cure for the next couple of days.
The final bit of paint are some details.
Using more painters tape,
I free-hand masked off the areas of the details,
then it's time for paint.
I was concerned with paint bleeding under the edges of the masking tape,
so this time I tried a new trick.
I've heard if you spray a coat of clear coat,
the clear coat would bleed under the masking tape
and the transparent paint would seal it.
Then any coats of colored paint wouldn't bleed under,
and you'd have a nice crisp edge.
The clear coat I used was a Rustoleum Crystal-Clear Enamel,
followed by a Rustoleum Red Enamel.
And I think that technique was a great success,
there was no bleed of the red that I could see.
I wanted to start weathering those red decals,
so I tried wiping away the paint with a paper towel,
but it had dried too quickly for it to really work.
So I'll have to weather it afterwards.
Now with the paint done, it's time for a few decals.
I used a Cricut Vinyl Cutter to cut out the decals on some white vinyl,
so I could match the font better than I could painting them by hand.
I applied the decals letter by letter,
doing my best to line things up correctly.
Patience is key here,
taking time to position them as best as I could.
With the decals done,
this was also a good moment to fit in a spring to the trigger,
so that it wasn't just swinging on it's own.
And the paint is complete! The Hand Cannon looks great.
Howeverâ It looks way, way too new.
It's time to weather it,
give it some wear and tear that gives it character.
I wanted to try a new technique this time,
so I purchased some Rub ân Buff.
This is a wax that contains metallic particles,
and should give an awesome metallic finish.
First I used the Silver Leaf Rub ân buff.
I applied a little with a q-tip,
and then rubbed it in with the clean end of the q-tip.
I found that a little of this goes a long way,
just lightly touching the surface would leave a bright silver surface.
I used it to emulate scratches and dings all over the pistol,
focusing on the areas more likely to get scratches: any high points,
and the edges of details.
With the first pass of silver rub ân buff applied,
I made a wash of black acrylic paint and water to apply over the surface.
I'd brush on the wash,
then dab it off with a paper towel.
This leaves a darker shadow in the recesses where the paper towel couldn't reach,
giving it a dirtier and more worn appearance.
I applied that wash all over the entire pistol.
The silver rub n' buff ended up a little too shiny in some areas,
so then I used the ebony rub ân buff to dirty up the silver.
Using more q-tips,
I brushed on the ebony near the silver,
as well as some of the deeper recesses.
The ebony really made the details pop when looking at it,
it gives a whole new dimension to the details.
Now, no prop is complete without some LEDs.
For this project, I'll use some 5mm blue LEDs,
a 500 milliamp-hour lipo battery,
and a Powerboost boost converter and battery charger.
First I solder on the headers for the powerboost.
Then I quickly test the circuit on a bedboard.
The 5V positive connects to a couple of LEDs,
then through some resistors to limit the current and back to the negative terminal.
With the circuit prototyped, I can then cut some perfboard,
and solder it all together.
Finally I cut a couple of clear plastic windows,
and used 400 grit sandpaper to diffuse lights.
I put the windows in, then the LEDs,
and use a little hot glue to secure it,
and make sure the batteries and wires are secured.
And this project is done! Let look at the glamour shots.
It's amazing how much life a little paint and a couple LEDs gives to these props.
And when comparing the pre-weathered prop to the final prop,
the results speak for themselves.
I am impressed with rub n' buff,
and can't wait to keep trying it on future projects.
Thank you all for joining me on the Carnifex Hand Cannon project.
This is just the first part of the larger Mordin Solus Project,
so stay tuned for more costuming and cosplay making.
If you have suggestions for tools, techniques,
or ideas for Mordin Solus,
please leave them in the comments below.
Thank you all for watching,
and I'll see you all next time!