theBR1T1SHkid's Arc Reactor builds

Hello all
Despite being in the process of making a Reach build I managed to find a couple of weeks to create a custom Arc Reactor that I can wear on my chest. Now before I get a dozen comments and photo comparisons, THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE MOVIE ACCURATE. This is just a fun little project to try and recreate something similar to the movie one using cheap shop items and spare parts from around the house. So here we go


I had an old torch lying around that I used as the main frame of the reactor. Inside it I put a sink strainer

I cut out the middle of the sink strainer to make a 'ring' around the outside. Behind that i put a small speaker frame.

Filing down all the rough edges on the inside of the sink strainer ring

The sink strainer ring, speaker frame and inside ring (made from a small torch end and some painted kebab sticks)

The reactor before being glued up

Lights added, checking the shadow it cast from under my shirt; you can faintly see the three spokes and inner ring

Three small LED's from a string of ten christmas LED's light up the reactor

Not the best photo, but the reactor with the lights on

So that was that. The reactor was finished. But it looked so lonely sitting there by itself that I decided to make it a friend. Cue Arc Reactor 2.0: not better, just different. This reactor is for a very close friend. She had the final say in all design aspects.


This one was to be a six spoked reactor. I used the same style sink strainer ring and inside torch ring. I had to try and make this one thinner while retaining a good level of detail and quality, not an easy task.

It was at this point that I had to employ my amazing soldering skills </sarcasm> and shorten the wires

Checking the shadow cast, the light under each spoke helped give the shadow some detail

The finished 2.0

Two arc reactors had been finished, but I wasn't finished just yet...

Sorry for the double post

I couldn't stand just looking at them sitting on the table. So i decided to make a couple of stands for them.I made the stand for Arc Reactor 2.0 first


The two prongs sit under the reactor. The wires coming out the back are meant to look as if someone ripped out this reactor and placed it on display, almost like some kind of trophy.

2.0 sitting on the stand

A side view of 2.0 sitting on the stand

With that out the way, it was time to go back to making the stand for the original arc reactor


Half way through the stand. On this one, the prongs slot into two small holes in the back of the reactor

The finished stand with the original arc reactor on it

Photoshoot time!





And there we go. Two arc reactors and stands for each in less than three weeks. I have a few little things to do to both of them and once I have I will update the thread and send 2.0 to its new home. Don't despair however: I may need an upgrade in the near future
Until then
Live long and prosper

Cool - you got skills man

That is pretty freakin awesome!

Heres Mine!

Off:


On:


Picture Quality isn't brilliant but you can see it in action!

TheMagicNumber and GuitarMaster157: thank you
Spartan 122: wow man, that is amazing! If you don't mind me asking, how did you do the lighting on your reactor? The lighting is very evenly spread-you can't see individual LED's

Believe it or not its build from a box of scraps in a cave! just kidding... I used one of these and modified the power input LINK the outer ring is a Rolson Drill Dust Collector, the pylons are made from 5/6mm cable tacks fixed to an acrylic ring then bound with copper speaker wire...

Don't care if these aren't movie accurate...they are awesome! Well done man. Have you thought about maybe adding a piece of frosted plastic in between the LEDs and metal parts? That should help diffuse the lights. Just get a piece of plastic and sand one side of it. Place the rough side down so the smooth side faces you, and it should look the way you want.

Thanks. The acrylic rings are "frosted" and its still as bright as the sun and if I remember its like four rings thick.

Spartan 122 and herotrooper: Thank you both for your help when I get some time I will try and add some frosted plastic and see how it turns out, the only problem I can see is that on the six spoke reactor there is about 2mm between the lights and the spokes but I should be able to push the lights a little further back to allow for a thicker piece of plastic.