Mar 6, 2016 | By Benedict
Serial video game prop-maker Kirby Downey has 3D printed an epic Gjallahorn rocket launcher, as featured in the Destiny video game. Downey’s 3D printed weapon is a remake of a previous version designed by Matthew Clarke.
Readers who like to keep a close eye on our gaming stories will have noticed numerous mentions of South African prop-maker Kirby Downey in recent months. The talented maker’s 3D printing projects have included these 3D printed Blades of Chaos from God of War, this 3D printed rubber band gun, and another crazy Destiny weapon: this 3D printed Sleeper Simulant rifle. Downey’s latest 3D printing project takes it to the next level.
For those who are unfamiliar with Destiny—Bungie’s first post-Halo video game franchise—or who simply haven’t encountered the Gjallahorn yet, the giant weapon is an exotic (rare) rocket launcher within the game. According to Destiny experts, the weapon was forged by Feizel Crux from the armor of slain Guardians who took part in the Battle of the Twilight Gap. The rocket launcher can be obtained as a reward from several sources or purchased from Xûr.
Last year, British maker Matthew Clarke 3D printed his own version of the Gjallahorn—a print that Downey still rates highly. Downey, however, wanted to make the 3D printed rocket launcher even better: “[Clarke’s model] had some weak areas, so I took it upon myself to redesign it,” the South African maker explained. “I have redesigned the Gjallahorn to be a much sturdier and stronger model. Instead of 3D printing the barrels, they are completely made out of PVC pipe. All the pieces are attached onto the pipe so it’s much stronger, heavier, and studier.”
The new 3D printed Gjallahorn certainly looks the business, thanks in equal part to Clarke’s original hard work and to Downey’s own 3D modeling skills. “I have changed the orientation in the way the model is printed,” said Downey. “I did use [Matthew’s] scope, which helped me make the model more easily. The main body was sculpted in SolidWorks, with things added in ZBrush and cut up in Rhino.”
One big advantage offered by Downey’s upgrade is its printability for makers at home. Since a large portion of the weapon is made up of cheap, easily available PVC pipe, less 3D printing time and material is required. The top part of the model consists of 4 parts, with 6 needed for the bottom, 7 for the handle, and 5 for the barrel. 3 straps are also needed to keep it all together. “It’s a really cool project, and is a lot easier to undertake now,” said Downey. “It took a week to 3D print, put together, and paint, as opposed to 3 months with the previous version. It’s also fairly simple to assemble: It took me between an hour and an hour and half.”
The perfect paint job on the 3D printed Gjallahorn was achieved by artist Sarah Wade, who was also responsible for the beautiful finishing touches on this 3D printed Rust AK47 which we spotted last week. The huge Gjallahorn reportedly took Wade 3 days to paint.
The Gjallahorn is available to download from My Mini Factory, but Downey will also ship pre-printed versions of the epic weapon for $399. Luckily for us, the maker is promising further upcoming projects in the same vein: “I’m working on some other really big objects like this that I’ll be able to reveal soon,” Downey teased.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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