Introduction: How to Make a Borderlands: "Boom Puppy" Gun

By Spicy Panda Creations
About: I'm a kid in a candy store when it comes to creating things. I love learning different versions of art, whatever medium it may be. Feel free to like the official site on Facebook to keep up with past, presen…

Like Borderlands the game? like the characters? like the guns?!?!?

Well, i'm here to show you how to make a Boom Puppy. A friend had asked me to create a boom puppy for the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo 2015. How could I turn down a challenge?

So let's begin!

Materials:

-cardboard

-hot glue sticks

-hot glue gun

-comic cardboard or cereal cardboard

-fabric

-worbla

-thermoplastic

-cardboard tube (a) can use gift wrapping tube

- larger cardboard tube (b)

- Black fabric

-silver spray paint

-pvc pipe

- black, red, and white acrylic paint

-matter clear coat spray

Step 1: Image and Prep!

first things first: Find as many reference pictures as possible. i found some online. The variation of the boom puppy i made was a combo of pics 2+3.

2. once you have your reference pics, you need a life size template. if you have a printer and some computer skills, make it easier on yourself. If not, then grab a pencil, ruler, and scratch paper and start at it.

3. once you have a full size drawing, cut the whole thing out. (pic 6)

Step 2: Body Work

1. start by chopping up your template into sections. i divided mine at the nozzle and the area where the trigger and main body is. use the paper template and cut it out of cardboard. cut on two templates for either side. then cut out the width you want the gun. i didn't measure, but just make it wide enough that its about the size you think it should be.. say.. maybe an inch to an inch and a half? start glueing it all together.

2) add filling inside your gun so that it will be supported. it should be however thick you need so that both sides of the gun touch. the last thing you want is your gun caving in on itself because someone bumped into it or you dropped it.

3) at this point, start adding comic cardboard to give it a smooth clean cover. remember to use your paper template to cut out various pieces.. kinda like a puzzle that is being worked in layers. work with the base layer and make your way to the top layer.

Step 3: Trigger and Handle

1. same with the gun, cut out the handle from you paper template.

2. cut the template out of cardboard. 2 sides.. and the width should be the wide of the base

3. start covering the handle with your comic board so its nice and clean.

4. Glue it in place and add a trigger to it.

5. keep adding more layers to the gun now

Step 4: Barrel and Handle

1. take your long cardboard tube and cut a hole into the front of the gun. You can use your template to help you determine how long the barrel should be.

2. jam it in there and hot glue to secure. (pic 1 and 2)

3. cut out and glue in the barrel guards (pic 3). it will help to secure the handle in place.

4. to make the little segments along the barrel, cut out a rectangle, and put a hole inside of it so that the cardboard tube can slide through. cover them with comic cardboard to get it nice and clean first.

5. it's all about the details so start cutting a ton of strips out of the comic cardboard. wrap them all along the handle (pic 6 and 7)

6. glue it in place!

Step 5: Muzzle

You should really start seeing you Boom Puppy taking shape.

1. get a wider card board tube and cut of a section for your muzzle.

2) cut two "caps" that will fit on each end. cut a circle out of both caps from the middle that is the diameter of the barrel tube.

3. glue both caps on to the muzzle, and then glue that only the barrel

* make sure to NOT make the muzzle flush with the end. push it in maybe a half in past the end so that you can start angling in for the next step

4. Start to add little cardboard triable to give you an angled look (pic 3)

5. cap each section with some cardboard

6. (optional) if you have worbla, you can cap the whole thing to make it smooth. If not, just use what you got

Step 6: Muzzle Details

there is some part that is on the bottom of the Muzzle.

1) make a angled "box" shape

2) take some comic cardboard and glue in strips

3)create an angled piece so that it attaches to the bottom of the muzzle. use the cardboard tube that was for the muzzle as a reference for the curve.

Step 7: Butt of Gun and Priming

Butt

now jump to the other side of the gun and start working on the butt part.

1) grab some cardboard and start glueing and angling it. the goal is to get it a little wider than the body

Primer

1) once complete, the main body of the gun should be complete. I think there are a few more details on the top that i missed, but at this point, i think its pretty self explanatory how to make them. just various shapes on the top covered with comic cardboard.

2. Take some rattle can primer and spray the whole thing down.

Step 8: Top Portion, Butt Cover, and Painting

Top cover

There is a top portion of the gun. I have no idea what that is for.. but it's there lol

1)create the side pieces out of cardboard and cover them with comic cardboard

2) get a wider piece of cardboard and bend it along the grooves.

3)cover in comic cardboard and then drill your holes in

4). i took some worbla and created a ridge around the edge of the thing.

Painting

Now that everything is primed, start painting.

1)spray the whole gun silver

2) once dry, get some watered-down black paint and paint the whole gun (in sections).

* when one section is painted, wait maybe 5-10 seconds and wipe off the black paint with a paper towel. if you want it darker, repeat the process. if you want it lighter, paint over the area with some water and wipe off.


Butt Cover

1. Grab your fabric and cover the end of the butt. I just tore up a cheap canvas grocery bag and went to town.

2. Don't forget your rivets!

Torgue

1. I just grabbed an image from the internet, adjusted the sizing in photoshop. printed it and glued it in place. ta da!

Step 9: Body Shell

1. start with a paper template.

2. cut those templates out of cardboard and make sure that the ridges of the cardboard are horizontal. it will make it easier to curve those pieces

3. once done, cover the whole thing in comic cardboard (pic 2)

4. from there, place both pieces on the sides of your gun, so you can see how big to make the middle joining piece (pic 3-5)

5. now that you have it fitted around your gun, start creating the ridge of the shell. Just like before, curve the cardboard, cover it in comic board, and then glue in place.

6. for rivet details, just take a hole punch and punch out some tiny circles out of comic board. Glue in place

Step 10: Barrel Shell and Scope

Barrel Shell

Do the same thing essential as the last step.

1. get cardboard and use a template to cut out the shape. make sure that the grooves are horizontal so you can curve it easier

2. cover in comic cardboard and glue in place.

3. create the ridge in the front

4. add your rivets

Scope

1. Take a cardboard tube and cut it off for a scope. it is cut at an angle btw.

2. cover it in comic cardboard

3. make a little notch out of regular cardboard and glue it all in place to the front of the gun.

Step 11: Barrel Details.

The barrel shell as these raised portions.. this is somewhat challenging, but it needs to get done!

1. create a paper template and you will have to cut it regular cardboard into sections.

2. angle the pieces and glue together

3. start to cover the piece in sections of comic cardboard. (pic 3)

4. Glue more comic cardboard to the back of it and then cut out the middle and the excess.

5. Glue to the shell and paint!

Step 12: Details: Buckles, Straps, Flashlights, Tubes

Buckles

1. I had some thermoplastic laying around so i created some buckles. Prime and paint

2. i made some straps out of the fabric that i used for the gun.

3. Glue everything in place.

Flashlight

i don't know what that thing is, but i interpreted it as a flashlight of some kind.

1. i had some spare pvc laying around so i cut that down and added a water bottle cap to it.

2. i covered the other side with some worbla and called it a day.

Tubes

1. i made some tubes for the Boom puppy that go on the inside of the barrel shell.

2. just heat that plastic up, make a snake shape of some kind with it, and cut in the grooves

3. i made little "attachments" out of worbla that the tubes could rest in and then glued it into the gun.

Step 13: Finished!!!

Alright guys! that is it!!!! cover the entire gun with a clear protective spray and go out there and have fun.

* Sometimes people forget that this is a prop, so that means it is fragile. you cannot/ should not be hitting things, knocking it around, etc. It's only cardboard after all.

For more pics, please follow me on Facebook at Spicy Panda Creations!