Bondo Pistol Grip (pics)

[Spuddin]

Here's a few pics from my weekend project. I wanted a custom pistol grip for a shoulder fired launcher im building so i tried bondo. It's pretty hefty and solid. I wont know how well it holds up until i get the gun finished and shoot it a few times. It's about 1 inch thick. Cost about $5 bucks to make. It took a full (small) can of bondo.
_______________________
http://www.freewebs.com/spuddin

[Jared Haehnel]

Thats a very nice idea/tutorial...thanks for posting it. It looks great!

It would be interesting to see how it holds up.

[scottcrete]

spuddin.. that looks nice.. it almost looks like you modeled it after that thing you adapt paint spray cans to spray guns with found at walmart.. the pistol grip you made looks almost just like it..

I like you work...
great job.

did you know you can cast parts from plaster paris.. and then do basically the same thing.. (like say you find a toy pistol grip you like) well you can copy it that way..

but anyways.. like i said
great work.

[Davidvaini]

another way you can make a pistol grip is to put epoxy in a plastic zip lock bag and squeeze it to the shape of your hand... that way you can a nice ergonomic grip. Shown below is a picture of one:



after some sand paper...

[Necrosis]

Instead of making it out of bondo, why did you not make it out of the wood you cut out?

[Spuddin]

well Necrosis i guess cause this is a bondo tut, not a wood tut. i've made lots of wood grips but now i wanted to try bondo, so many more materials a person could use, this one just happens to be "bondo".

[MaxuS the 2nd]

Because it's new and fantastic, but good point.


I might try this later, my epoxy is completely transparent when cured so I think I'll give this a go.

[jimmy101]

Spuddin and Davidvaini:
Both grips looks darn good. I think I'll file this link under "handy techniques I don't need right now but probably will someday".

BTW, Bondo is cheaper in the big cans (well duh). Check near the painting supplies in your local hardware store since there is a bondo used for wood repairs and you can usually get big-ass cans for a more acceptable price.

[STHORNE]

very nice job. question though, how come you didn't pre-make finger slots in the original mould to save you filing time? lazy? lol

anyway. job well done. hope everything turns out o-k.

[Hailfire753]

Great tut! Also, nice pics scott! This will be useful later, so I am glad for the "my posts" tab in spudfiles.

[experament-u2]

brilliant work chaps
Spuddin you have inspired me
and Davidvaini that is a nice way to spice up a boring grip

[flamerz14]

Wow, NICE! 8) seriously. I haven't seen anything called bondo so far in my hours of browsing ye old hardware shoppe. What's the stuff used for? Can I use anything else instead?

[Jared Haehnel]

Bondo is used as a body filler for vehicles... It consists of a putty and a hardener. If you type it in online you'll find it. At least here in the US its a fairly common product.

[flamerz14]

I see.. could i use other materials like wood filler or silicone?

[Jared Haehnel]

Experiment with it...thats half the fun of spudding...

Silicone may work but I think it would be too soft for what you wanted. Your best best is some sort of epoxy, even a block of wood and a dremel or some sand paper....depending on the wood filler it probably wouldn't work...