Loose Ends, Obsessions

 

Thought I might chat about loose ends: things I've finished, what I was up to while submerged and new skills I acquired. But first, brother Weed. Turns out he was offering variolation, popular among rich families and the educated classes. It was a chance for doctors to make money from preventative medicine for the first time. Lots of money. Small pox was endemic to Philadelphia and variolation was known in Africa and Asia before the West discovered it. Pure chance that 18th century doctors added something effective to all their purgatives and bleeding.

Above, I am channeling the Shrinking version of Harrison Ford in a throwback outfit. Turns out there are FOUR shirts in Blade Runner, plus three ties, two pairs of trousers, and the coat and trench coat. Oh yeah, and the sweater. All in all, a pleasant diversion. This was the golden age of sci-fi films: exotic accessories and cobbled-together props. It's all 3D printed now. The badge was made by the same house that still prints ephemera for Hollywood, on the old machines, signed by the same dude who signed Deckard's name for the movie.

Unclear why I did two of these, obsession brain probably. The bottom one is a kit, mostly from zinc pot metal, with a dozen or so different screws holding it together. At top, a Japanese replica I was lucky to get, which I refinished. The Japanese models were used in Blade Runner 2049. The original firing prop was built from a revolver and a rifle with a custom grip and found items. Made famous in Star Wars, parts-bashed weapon props of this type were notoriously heavy. Harrison Ford complained about it in both films. OF COURSE, the hero blaster in Blade Runner had one different part on it when it reappeared at a Con after many years. Took me a while to figure out the right Vietnam-era radio knob and scope knob for one of them and find it online. Therein lies the problem: that level of obsession can be dangerous. When the creativity dries up suddenly, the brain can turn to bad things.

This particular form of hobby has a nasty tendency to get bigger and more complex. Why not spend years instead of a month putting something together? It's only money. Granted, I learned electronic wiring and a bunch about 3D printing. Aliens found items are much harder to come by and more expensive. The only things I could find were the M1 helmet (modified with diamond-tipped tools), boots, watch, and camera lens. The shoulder lights were originally made from a 1980s British home alarm, with a video light rig and diving lamp handle added on. The microphone was an insanely expensive stereo model actually used for dialogue on set. As with the poor Star Wars ship modelers, the best solution is 3D printing. Many plans are free online, and Etsy offers custom printing. Thank god there are passionate individuals willing to do the heavy lifting. Chef's Creations makes great replica armor and uniforms, with video tutorials on how to assemble the former. The original armor was hammered out of metal and hand-painted with Humbrol model paint. Painting the armor felt very nostalgic.


Needless to say, after this project I crashed hard. I was living alone at the time and with nothing to follow it, things got dark. I'm back with Kitty now and with her help I'm here. She suggested I wear all this stuff to work rather than have it just clog up her closet. Maybe not the armor.