Five years later

[clutch]

Got my Sidkit around this time in 2008 and was so paralyzed by getting it just right that I stopped working on it. My Tomen gave me a little more confidence so here is the final result. The bluing was an absolute mess like I thought it would be. The metal would form a rusty brown patina as I applied it. It took several applictions and a rubdown with some Break Free CLP. I filled the extra holes in the bulldog frame and replaced the stock barrel with mspaw's steel one. Since the green led's came pre-wired I couldn't bring myself to NOT wire them up. I also replaced the plastic bullets with real ones from my old Coyle blaster. Andy's superb stand completes the picture.

It'll probably be up for sale soon.

[Staar]

Beautifully turned out and well worth the revisit.

I'm not exactly unbiased in this regard and although fraught with early controversy, I still believe the Sid - after the Tomen - is the cleanest real world (assuming Ricks magnificent PKD's are more idealised) kit ever produced and it makes a terrific display piece. The genuine bullets add even more heft to an already very heavy blaster.

Bravo mate and cheers for sharing. I will watch to sale with interest because this is a particularly fine example.

Highest regards

MARK
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[joberg]

Very well done indeed! This is a beautiful piece for sure: good work

[cratercritter]

Yes, I also like the end result. The bluing and paintwork looks really smart. The pewter has softened rounded edges from working on it, but that is to be expected, and it looks cool. The "hand-made" metal blasters, (like RACoyle's) have that extra 'character' that adds so much appeal. Well done.

[Bwood]

I acquired a Sid in 2009 and just now want to begin bluing it as opposed to painting it. Yours looks great. Could use some bluing tips and a reason why you said bluing it was an "absolute mess."

[SKIN JOB 66]

Great work, Jerry !


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THE FUTURE IS A THING OF THE PAST

[clutch]

Thanks for the compliments. When you blue steel, it turns black. You wash it off, buff with some steel wool, repeat as necessary. With Sid metal, you blue it and it turns a muddy black rust color. Some kind of deposits formed before my eyes that looked like the crusty stuff that you see oozing out of old batteries. It gets in all the cracks and crevasses and you really have to scrub it to remove it. You can't steel wool it because that will take it down to bare metal. You also have to repeat the process many more times to darken it. It will also be more patchy color-wise.

I Also discovered that if you patch the metal with solder, that area will not take the bluing solution.