Making props at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Special Interest Areas > Techniques for Independent Production

Techniques for Independent Production
The challenges of creating Digital Cinema and other narrative forms.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old October 21st, 2002, 10:56 PM   #1
Air China Pilot
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 2,389
Making props

I have a specific question but I left the subject header intentionally general so that others could add to this if they had specific props they needed to build.

"GUNBRELLA".
I need to make an umbrella that has a gun barrel protruding from the tip. It's one of those long umbrellas that has a point. My thought is to glue an iron tube over the tip long enough that it won't reveal the tip. Or hack off the tip too so that it won't show inside the barrel. Am I on the right track?

What glue do I use? It has to bear up to a day of abuse of tapping and swinging around.
__________________
--
Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com | stuff about living in Vancouver | My Flickr photo gallery
Keith Loh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 12:34 AM   #2
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Posts: 8,314
I'd glue the extra length of tube over the end. Use JB Weld, it'll hold anything together. Found at Canadian Tire.
Dylan Couper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 03:11 AM   #3
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Borås, Sweden
Posts: 167
Another thing to do is to make not one but several identical umbrellas. That way, IF one breaks when you are shooting, you don't have to literarely sit and wait for the glue to dry :) And a umbrella and some pipe shouldn't be to expensive. If you have to pay for the crew, its more expensive to have them wait for the prop to be fixed than it is to make a few extra props.


/HuBBa
Henrik Bengtsson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 11:00 AM   #4
Air China Pilot
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 2,389
A professional prop maker I've spoken to online recommended something called 5-minute glue. So I will search that out. Maybe that's what you're talking about Dylan. Off to Home Depot I go tonight.

I have two umbrellas but unfortunately no back up beyond that (lack of funds). And both are actually used together in one scene.

The Gunbrella isn't opened except in one scene and we may film that farther back so it is not apparent that it is the gunbrella.
__________________
--
Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com | stuff about living in Vancouver | My Flickr photo gallery
Keith Loh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 12:00 PM   #5
Slash Rules!
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 5,472
Keith, don't make Paul Sedillo and myself fight you for the right to use umbrellas as weapons in the DVDA project.
Josh Bass is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 12:06 PM   #6
Air China Pilot
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 2,389
I haven't closed the door on using umbrellas as weapons. You can do whatever you want :P
__________________
--
Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com | stuff about living in Vancouver | My Flickr photo gallery
Keith Loh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 12:24 PM   #7
Slash Rules!
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 5,472
I know. . .I was just funnin' ya. I wonder how many others thought of umbrellas as weapons?
Josh Bass is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 03:52 PM   #8
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Borås, Sweden
Posts: 167
Gun or no gun.. an umbrella can be a very ugly weapon. Metal spike in one end, hook in the other? Who needs a gun :)

/Henrik "Swinging the umbrella going Hiyaaaah!"
Henrik Bengtsson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 04:11 PM   #9
Air China Pilot
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 2,389
Well, (like everyone else) I originally wanted to do nothing but have a martial arts fight with umbrellas but it occured to me that despite having a roommate who did kungfu, I'd rather not have the liability of having people killed on my second short.
__________________
--
Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com | stuff about living in Vancouver | My Flickr photo gallery
Keith Loh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 04:47 PM   #10
_redone_
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 224
try plumbers epoxy....its like cement, and dries in 15 minutes..

it come in handy for practically anything.
__________________
Adam Lawrence
eatdrink Media
Las Vegas NV
www.eatdrinkmedia.com
Adam Lawrence is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 04:57 PM   #11
Air China Pilot
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 2,389
Thanks. I have a list of different glues to look at now. And if some of them don't work out, I can sniff them.
__________________
--
Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com | stuff about living in Vancouver | My Flickr photo gallery
Keith Loh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 06:12 PM   #12
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Posts: 8,314
Keith. JB Weld kicks the ass of every other adhesive out there.
Bring some glue to keep your crew high on the set as well. Things will go smoother.

Oh, I have the feeling that the cost of extra umbrellas will eclipse the amount being paid to the crew. ;)
Dylan Couper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 22nd, 2002, 07:39 PM   #13
Major Player
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Waynesboro, PA
Posts: 648
also check out glue brand called HOT STUFF. this will bond anything especially plastics/rubber etc.
Matt Stahley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 29th, 2002, 01:32 AM   #14
Air China Pilot
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Posts: 2,389
The Gunbrella

I ended up using a 5-minute glue on the Gunbrella barrels. The outer one glued nicely to the umbrella, but the inner barrel came loose during filming, probably because I tried to use a combination of gum and 5 minute glue.
__________________
--
Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com | stuff about living in Vancouver | My Flickr photo gallery
Keith Loh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 29th, 2002, 08:32 PM   #15
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Posts: 8,314
Shoulda used JB Weld. :)
On the other hand, I should have remembered I had electrician's tape in my gear bag much ealier in the day when we first started having problems with it.
Dylan Couper is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Special Interest Areas > Techniques for Independent Production

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:25 PM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network