Mach's entry for the Novint Falcon Grip Challenge

[Mach]

So I've had a Falcon for awhile. I bought it thinking it'd look very cool decked out in brass and copper. Then Barsarkar-gang jumped to the front of the modding line. So the Falcon went into the modding project closet.

This contest is a good excuse to dig it back out. I've got a few ideas for where I want to take this. The first idea was a glove that looks like a cross between steampunk and Freddy Kruger but looks like mofo has that idea well in hand (pardon the pun).

So I spent an evening this week playing with the Falcon using the intro games. Very, very cool device. I was pretty impressed with the textures especially the molasses ball. That being said after a couple of hours of game play my hand was cramping up. So my first attempt was to model a more ergonomic grip. I covered the original grip in painter's tape and modeled a new grip with clay. Next step was to make a mold.

I say was because I found a different grip that brings me back to something more inline with why I bought the Falcon in the first.

I found a 3" hollow copper float online that is just about the right weight, size, and is certainly the right materials.

It's a good size for my hand, I've got a got a few ideas for the switches but more on that next time. Consider me in this one and thanks for the extension.

[Mach]

Another part arrived this week, a three inch birch ball

A little Durham's water putty. It's gypsum based but is harder than plaster

Mixed to a batter like consistency

Water putty has a slightly longer working time that plaster so I left it setup for awhile

Then I partially submerged the copper float in the half hardened mix. The tape is keeping it in place.

While that's curing, ponder this….

[Drum Thumper]

I like where this is going. You should make another Bioshock 2 logo for this as well!

[x88x]

Hmm, interesting. Well, yours will definitely be prettier than mine.

[Mach]

I like where this is going. You should make another Bioshock 2 logo for this as well!

Thanks . Who knows I may turn this into a Bioshock Infinite mod when I get my other mod finished.

Hmm, interesting. Well, yours will definitely be prettier than mine.

We'll have to wait to see who get finished and who doesn't (emphasis on me). I think yours will be easier to play. I went for the form over function on this one.

Cured and after a quick trip to the belt sander

A little painters tape for a layer of protection

The birch ball in place. The rock putty base acts as a holder for the ball and a mold

A mold for the brass that is. By heating the brass to red hot and then quenching it repeatedly, the brass is softened enough to mold to the ball.

That is after quite alot of heating and hammering.

Not too bad for a rough in. Not sure if I'll be able to get it to be smooth enough so may fall back to a peened finish or something else.

Still another hour or so of hammering should do it. Then on to the sanding and cutting.

[x88x]

Oooh... that is not at all what I thought you would do. Interesting.

[d_stilgar]

Nice! I'm liking this.