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OK, I reckon this would probably really do best in the "What do you look like" thread, but there's plenty of detail pics, so I reckon it merits a separate thread...

Anyways! I do some woodworking as a hobby, and something I've found a particular aptitude for is sword-making. Back in Nigeria I used mahogany (cheap as dirt, really-- and the greatest wood you ever used...), but here I use softwood, generally pine-- I'm looking for cheap good-quality hardwood though, so if anybody's got suggestions on where to find that I'd appreciate them...

OK! My first would be... this.






Mahogany, painted silver with gold and blue accents; handle's wrapped in red leather, and the guard is copper wire (looks pretty bad, i know, but i didn't know better back then... i was only 17 when i made that, i reckon).

Then, after awhile, I made this...






It's a Scottish basket-hilted broadsword, again of mahogany wood. It's a bit thin to be whacking about, but damned if it doesn't look realistic...

The guard's welded metal; I hammered out the individual pieces from iron wire, shaped them to custom-fit my right grip. The pater helped me weld it together. Hilt itself is wood wrapped in red leather.

Latest real project... about a year old by now...



Raiper of softwood (don't know the exact type, but it ain't pine). Pretty robust compared to the broadsword, but nonetheless one which I shall treat with care. Pretty, ain't it... that hilt's of the same wire material as I made the basket hilt from. Took me forever to get it right, but I sure was glad when I finished it... it's welded, incidentally. I find that makes the best-lookin' swords; if i'd welded the guard of the longsword, it'd probably have ended up lookin' better. Ah well...

Oh, and I also make guns! (Incidentally, the ruler in the picture is a standard 12-inch ruler... gives you some idea of how big the revolver is, eh?)

Top is a Walker Colt; biggest gun ever made by Sam Colt. Bottom is a Luger Parabellum-- unfortunately you can't see any of the checkering I did on the handle...

Anyways, I just thought I'd post this where y'all could see some of what I've done. Enjoy! [/img]

I can say you have a nice hobby. And your works look very interesting. Keep up the good work.

What, fifty views and just one reply??? I'm feelin' deprived... I haven't even gotten a "boing!" from Einy yet... (mind you, I am perfectly straight and completely going to stay that way, yet considering he's said that to approximately the entire male populace of SDnet-- those who have posted pictures, in any case...one gets to feelin' left out!)

C'mon people!!!



(Oh, and if any of you ladies want to say "boing!", go right ahead-- I assure you I won't mind in the least!)

Not bad. Of course, that doesn't even begin to compare to my cardboard GM-94 (of pwning D00M!!)

YT300000 wrote:Not bad. Of course, that doesn't even begin to compare to my cardboard GM-94 (of pwning D00M!!)

hmm... picture, please? And I'm willing to wager that you can't beat your GM-94 around like you can my longsword!

Well, you can't cut someone with these, but I bet you can bludgeon them to death.

Dalton wrote:Well, you can't cut someone with these, but I bet you can bludgeon them to death.

Not with the raiper nor broadsword, I fear, but certainly with the longsword and probably the Walker Colt...

My aim actually was more towards having a fairly realistic-looking sword/gun, less upon having something you can whack around. Of course, that kinda stuff can be fun, and I've done plenty of it myself-- I just prefer havin' something cool to hang on the ol' wall and wave about to impress the girls!

Elheru Aran wrote:

Dalton wrote:Well, you can't cut someone with these, but I bet you can bludgeon them to death.

Not with the raiper nor broadsword, I fear, but certainly with the longsword and probably the Walker Colt...

My aim actually was more towards having a fairly realistic-looking sword/gun, less upon having something you can whack around. Of course, that kinda stuff can be fun, and I've done plenty of it myself-- I just prefer havin' something cool to hang on the ol' wall and wave about to impress the girls!

Wow. That's just loaded with double-entendres.

Dalton wrote:

Elheru Aran wrote:

Dalton wrote:Well, you can't cut someone with these, but I bet you can bludgeon them to death.

Not with the raiper nor broadsword, I fear, but certainly with the longsword and probably the Walker Colt...

My aim actually was more towards having a fairly realistic-looking sword/gun, less upon having something you can whack around. Of course, that kinda stuff can be fun, and I've done plenty of it myself-- I just prefer havin' something cool to hang on the ol' wall and wave about to impress the girls!

Wow. That's just loaded with double-entendres.

ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*gains control of self again*

Okay, man, that was just... fuckin' hilarious!!!!!! Seriously though, I absolutely had no idea it could be interpreted that way when I wrote that... but I'll have to admit my late night's been rather brightened by this slightly random moment of hilarity! thanks man...

Elheru Aran wrote:ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*gains control of self again*

Okay, man, that was just... fuckin' hilarious!!!!!! Seriously though, I absolutely had no idea it could be interpreted that way when I wrote that... but I'll have to admit my late night's been rather brightened by this slightly random moment of hilarity! thanks man...

I aim to please...

Awesome. Your sticks are big and beautiful and they actually look like they could kill someone. Rock on!

Plus, I'm sure your pic would make Ein wet his pants

Can I buy these?

Ace Pace wrote:Can I buy these?

Looks like an opportunity to start a bussiness

Elheru Aran wrote:

YT300000 wrote:Not bad. Of course, that doesn't even begin to compare to my cardboard GM-94 (of pwning D00M!!)

hmm... picture, please? And I'm willing to wager that you can't beat your GM-94 around like you can my longsword!

I can't provide a pic of my 43 mm grenade launcher due to my camera being broken, but with black spray-paint (which I can't apply, since I need it for a school project and it would be "too realistic") and multiple vid editting programs, I can make it look really, really cool.

Besides, it was a quick and dirty model. If I want to make something from scratch that looks cool and realistic, I take a lot of time for it. My CF-105 Arrow took several months.



Sorry about the flash in the picture, it sort of wipes out the windows.

Comosicus wrote:

Ace Pace wrote:Can I buy these?

Looks like an opportunity to start a bussiness

Actually, that was what I had in mind when I first made 'em... but I have to admit I got too attached to them! Still, I have considered doing it as sort of a hobby-- only problem would be I'd need a fairly reliable/cheap supply of good quality hardwood planks, and that kind of thing isn't exactly common... plus for the more complicated pieces involving metalwork, I'd need welding equipment or at least access to a metal shop.

However, I've flirted with the idea of having sort of a display at local flea markets, with examples of my creations... two main options, whackable and non-whackable. whackable wouldn't look so realistic (the wood has to be thicker, heavier, less elaborate), but you could have plenty of fun with it; while non-whackable (I'd change the terms to more... fancy words, of course) would be fancier looking but more fragile-- the sort of thing you might hang above your mantel or wear at your side at a SCA rally...

But all this, of course, is incumbent upon me actually having the materials to work with... man, life here in the States sure is expensive compared to Nigeria... [\grumbles]

Oh, and YT-- nice plane. How do ya make?

Elheru Aran wrote:Oh, and YT-- nice plane. How do ya make?

I found a nice drawing of the insides, from many povs, with cross-sections. Using those as I guide, I constructed a skeleton out of thin bits of pine. The wings and tail were part of the skeleton. Some parts, like the engine nozzles and nose where made from solid chunks of wood. Then I covered the entire thing with cereal cardboard, and treated it with a mixture of drywall compound and varnish. It dried, and became hard. About 4 layers of white paint later, I applied all the little details with marker and paint. I left a little hole in the bottom for the metal rod, which, along with a piece of wood, served as a convenient stand.

1. The broadsword is AWESOME.
2. You're a cutey.
3. Ein's away right now, but I'm sure when he gets back, he'll boing away for you.

Those are fantastic.

I would love to buy some customs you could make, like a Krull Glaive or a PPG.

And as for selling them at flea markets, you could probably get twice as much for them at SF conventions. You'd have to pay to rent a booth there, or just carry around your work as part of a costume and sell it out of your car, but you could make some real money selling these.

Bob the Gunslinger wrote:Those are fantastic.

I would love to buy some customs you could make, like a Krull Glaive or a PPG.

And as for selling them at flea markets, you could probably get twice as much for them at SF conventions. You'd have to pay to rent a booth there, or just carry around your work as part of a costume and sell it out of your car, but you could make some real money selling these.

Well, sure, I can do plenty of custom... just problem is it can't be too complex b/c of the inherent properties of wood, ie, can't have any little sticky-off pieces cause they'll be promptly snapped off unless you take care of it like it was a baby... and then what fun's it? I have made a gun or two in my time though... (refer up to the Walker Colt and the Luger)

The convention idea is nice... only problem is, most of 'em are way too far out of my range... especially considering gas prices!!!!!! But thanks for the suggestion...

Have you ever done a Krull Glaive? That would be really cool. If you have, can you upload a pic of it?

Bob the Gunslinger wrote:Have you ever done a Krull Glaive? That would be really cool. If you have, can you upload a pic of it?

Don't believe I have, as I've never seen one that I know of... if you could provide a pic though, I'll see what I can do...

OK, upon some Googling I found said Krull Glaive... unfortunately I doubt I'd be able to make it, since that kind of thing falls under the "thin-parts-sticking-out" category-- in other words, gotta handle carefully or things'll be fallin' off it...

Anyways! Here's two more... one I made awhile back, the other's my current project...






My current project... softwood unfortunately... I wish I had some of that good ol' African mahogany...




Top's left side, bottom pic is right side (as held in the right hand, anyway-- right side would be the one facing outwards).



Check out the detail on this one, eh? That's just the left side, too... right side's a bit fancier...

And the ol' posing-with-the-sword picture!


What do y'all think, eh?

Shit that's awesome!!!

The swords are awesome. They look very realistic. Great job.

Elheru Aran wrote:

Bob the Gunslinger wrote:Have you ever done a Krull Glaive? That would be really cool. If you have, can you upload a pic of it?

Don't believe I have, as I've never seen one that I know of... if you could provide a pic though, I'll see what I can do...

Here's a pic: