NEED some help, DOLO or someone

[Ron Padilla]

I watched a utube video today on how to make some aluminum guns now my reason for wanting to do this is that I am venturing into a holster making venture as a part time retired thing. the video was very interesting the person who did it drew a gun out on paper then tapes and shaped the drawing out on foam core board to use as a mold to pour molten aluminum in to. The foam would disintegrate at high temp and let the aluminum take the shape of the gun. The issue that I find is that a holster maker needs an exact or little smaller replica to make the holster from. Now some of you might ask why don't I go out and buy a blue gun or some of the others that are available, well if you reread the top you will see that I am retired and have somewhat of a limited budget. So I would like to find and here is the question a place website where I can print exact size images of different guns, so if anyone knows of such a site the info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Ron

[gjohnsoniv]

You could check on Weaponeer and Weapons Guild.  Some of those guys put of blueprints on occasion.

[Ron Padilla]

Oh ok ihadmt heard of th but I will thanks

[Dolomite_supafly]

What about buying an airsoft springer replica? You can find them for the cost of the aluminum to make a slug.

I use the actual gun to make the holster. I seal the gun in a vacuum bag then I mold the leather to the gun using the same vacuum sealer.

[gjohnsoniv]

Oh ok ihadmt heard of th but I will thanks

They're both gunsmithing/home gun building sites, not normal gun forums.

[Ron Padilla]

I am not certain how many airsoft replicas can be found that would fit the bill like most of the popular glocks, of course if someone brought me one then I could draw it out. The other option is to ask the owner or manager of one of the lgs's if I could go in and draw a few of what they have in stock.

[Murgatroy]

There is an airsoft replica of any gun you could want to make a holster of. There is a HUGE following of airsoft.

[Ron Padilla]

Is there like a few or 1 in particular that I could google. I googled on my phone havent sat at a computer yet to do it. Thanks

[Ron Padilla]

Dealer

[Jonnin]

not sure what else might work but the cost, in time, labor, and materials, of making aluminum guns seems like a difficult way to approach the problem.  There has to be a cheaper way to make a close, rough replica.  I don't know what to recommend though.

 

all you need for the rough outline are 2 things;  a decent flat picture of the gun (which is available on the web free for most anything)  and its dimensions.  You can print the image scaled such that the printout is the correct size.   The width might be good to have too... all 3 dimensions are usually easy to get for popular models, sometimes harder for oddball.   Crop the picture to be a perfect fit square around the gun and then use a good paint program that can print that image to specified dimensions (make this square 6.3 inches by 4.2 inches)  and bam, a scaled printout is done.   The image should be taken from nearly a straight above it (not angled) shot for best results.

[Ted S.]

http://www.evike.com/shop/21/

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

Seems pricey for a hobby. Edited August 1, 2015 by Ted S.

[Oh Shoot]

The cheapest and easiest way to do ALL types of guns is to just use the gun itself. Just make sure you protect it from the wet leather because some leather is cured with chemicals than can ruin a gun quickly.

 

Amen to that. I've got a blued Single Six, got a leather holster for it, a bit too tight, did the saran wrap on it to stick in wet holster,  but didn't cover the barrel well enough. Really trashed the finish on about 3 inches of one part of the barrel. In less than 24 hours, couldn't believe it.

 

- OS

[gjohnsoniv]

Yeah if it comes in contact with metal only you vegetable tanned leather, not chrome tanned.  That stuff will eat your gun up.

[TNWNGR]

If you have access to a bandsaw, router and belt sander you can produce top quality dummy guns for molding purposes. Another option is to put together a DIY vacuum table and make your own gun molds. I also agree that airsoft and replica guns are good for holster making. Why not post an add offering to buy non functional or broken airsoft/replica guns?  

[Oh Shoot]

Yeah if it comes in contact with metal only you vegetable tanned leather, not chrome tanned.  That stuff will eat your gun up.

 

Never really thought about it, as I've carried two different heaters in leather holsters that got plenty wet with sweat over and over, never a prob (admittedly, though neither gun was "blued" - Ruger SP101 and XD).

 

This was a Hunter brand holster, which admittedly is among the cheapest of that type you can get for traditional single actions, but had never read anything about them eating a gun's finish.

 

- OS

[gjohnsoniv]

Never really thought about it, as I've carried two different heaters in leather holsters that got plenty wet with sweat over and over, never a prob (admittedly, though neither gun was "blued" - Ruger SP101 and XD).

 

This was a Hunter brand holster, which admittedly is among the cheapest of that type you can get for traditional single actions, but had never read anything about them eating a gun's finish.

 

- OS

My understanding is that it's the chromium salts eating at the metal.  On top of that the chrome tanned leather doesn't mold or tool well.

[TNWNGR]

Re: OS & GJ's comments on wet molding holsters causing blued steel to rust. Yep, it'll do that, chrome tanned leather doesn't even have to be "wet" just a slight degree of moisture will do the job. Vegetable tanned leather for the most part will also induce rust when wet molding but once properly molded, buffed and waxed is pretty stable. Note "pretty stable" because if you get soaked and leave the wet holster and holstered gun together you will find some rust later. A simple rust preventative when wet molding a gun is paste wax, then if their are and leaks or uncovered surface areas you are more likely to be alright.

[Oh Shoot]

Re: OS & GJ's comments on wet molding holsters causing blued steel to rust. Yep, it'll do that, chrome tanned leather doesn't even have to be "wet" just a slight degree of moisture will do the job. Vegetable tanned leather for the most part will also induce rust when wet molding but once properly molded, buffed and waxed is pretty stable. Note "pretty stable" because if you get soaked and leave the wet holster and holstered gun together you will find some rust later. A simple rust preventative when wet molding a gun is paste wax, then if their are and leaks or uncovered surface areas you are more likely to be alright.

 

Pretty difficult to wax and buff the interior of an already constructed holster, especially a closed end one.

 

- OS

[Ron Padilla]

Most leather people are using a mix of neats oil, bee's wax, and carnauba wax they will rub on like car wax some will heat with a hair dryer or heat gun then buff with a micro fiber towel, some are also spraing a light coat acrylic clear. I have my oil a nd waxes set up and half way built a vacuum system to vacuum form both leather and kydex. I really didnt want to spend the money on blue or aluminum guns, and the utube video made it seem very simple to set up a system to make them.

[TNWNGR]

Pretty difficult to wax and buff the interior of an already constructed holster, especially a closed end one.

 

- OS

 

No, not the interior, the exterior surface when properly sealed and maintained won't absorb water as readily as a rough or poorly maintained holster finish will. But interior holster surfaces have other options than rough surfaced leather.