Magazine Stippling

[Thompson]

So, it's finally summer for me. Since I have some amount of free time, I've been fixing to try my hand at stippling magazines.

I've been looking at videos and what not; it doesn't appear to be too hard to do ... just time consuming.

For anyone who has stippled - does it matter what time of soldering iron to use? (That's what you use, right?)

But before I do try magazine stippling, what are some common household items I could practice on beforehand?

[GOST]

I prefer a low power soldering iron. I also like to take a file to a flat headed screw and checker it then use it as the tip on the soldering iron. Post pics of your work so we can admire it.

[GOST]

You may want to message BattleCock, he's the stippling pro around these parts. His info will be better than mine.

[Optimus Prime]

I picked up an adjustable wood burner/soldering iron for stippling stuff, it's pretty awesome once you figure out the right setting for what you're stippling. I tend to just use the finest tip to get the texture I like.

I used mags for practice, so I'm not sure what to tell you there... :-D

[Thompson]

GOST - yep, was just taking a look at his other thread yesterday. Will have to PM him some time. Definitely will post pictures; photography is one of my hobbies.

I figure anything plastic/polymer should be okay to practice on?

[GOST]

Good luck with it.

[Thompson]

Good luck with it.
Haha thanks; I'll probably be needing it.

[hg8057]

I use a wood burning pen. It seems to be shorter than the soldering irons I've seen. Also quite handy for detail work is a magnifying lamp.

http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a444/egt8225/th_20131022_133532_zps8447ebe4.jpg (http://s1036.photobucket.com/user/egt8225/media/20131022_133532_zps8447ebe4.jpg.html) http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a444/egt8225/th_20131022_135542_zps3e6fe5f9.jpg (http://s1036.photobucket.com/user/egt8225/media/20131022_135542_zps3e6fe5f9.jpg.html)

[KevinBLC]

I use a wood burning pen. It seems to be shorter than the soldering irons I've seen. Also quite handy for detail work is a magnifying lamp.

http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a444/egt8225/th_20131022_133532_zps8447ebe4.jpg (http://s1036.photobucket.com/user/egt8225/media/20131022_133532_zps8447ebe4.jpg.html) http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a444/egt8225/th_20131022_135542_zps3e6fe5f9.jpg (http://s1036.photobucket.com/user/egt8225/media/20131022_135542_zps3e6fe5f9.jpg.html)

I like it, subtle and just where you want/need the stippling.

[Thompson]

I agree. Sometimes; simplicity can't be beat.

hg - what's that thing, third square, third row over? Test run? Just curious haha

In other news; just picked up a soldering iron today. [:)]

[hg8057]

hg - what's that thing, third square, third row over? Test run? Just curious haha. [:)]

That would be an attempt at monogramming. It did not go well. If you tilt your head slightly to the right, and squint, it just might appear to be a "JB"

[Thompson]

Ok yeah! I see it now!

[UWone77]

I like the stippling on that mag hg, kind of reminds me of the tape they used to sell for PMags like 3 or 4 years ago. Now it seems like you can't find that stuff anymore as more and more people get into stippling their own stuff.

[hg8057]

I like the stippling on that mag hg,

High praise indeed. Thanks. The decorative stuff is way beyond me right now. I just wanted to enhance the "beer can grip". I've considered the grip on my G26 but stippling a weapon scares me to death. Make a mistake on a PMAG and you buy more! Make a mistake on a weapon and you've got an ugly weapon.

[Battle Cock]

High praise indeed. Thanks. The decorative stuff is way beyond me right now. I just wanted to enhance the "beer can grip". I've considered the grip on my G26 but stippling a weapon scares me to death. Make a mistake on a PMAG and you buy more! Make a mistake on a weapon and you've got an ugly weapon.

I felt the exact same way when I first started. I say you stipple Pmags, stocks, and grips for about 6 months to a year before you try a handgun frame. Unless of course you have buckets of handguns just laying around.

Edit: That is if you only do it on occasion. If you commit a lot of time to it then you could get there a lot faster. Assuming you want your gun to be a work of art and not just stippled for function.

[Optimus Prime]

High praise indeed. Thanks. The decorative stuff is way beyond me right now. I just wanted to enhance the "beer can grip". I've considered the grip on my G26 but stippling a weapon scares me to death. Make a mistake on a PMAG and you buy more! Make a mistake on a weapon and you've got an ugly weapon.

I was scared crapless to do my M&P9, but I bit the bullet after a few mags and I'm glad I did.

[Thompson]

Whelp ... this post is probably long over due, but I figured I'd post for all to see (and because BC wanted to see it haha) for my first stippled PMAG (black Gen M2).

Here's a quick picture. I've got a few other ones that I'll post later.

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss188/LtThompsonCS/_DSC8030_Vignette.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/LtThompsonCS/media/_DSC8030_Vignette.jpg.html)

... and for all of us camera nerd out there who'd like to know:
D5100
Nikon 35mm f/1.8
ISO 1250 @ f/4
1/20 sec

Thanks for all of your help BC!

[Battle Cock]

Whelp ... this post is probably long over due, but I figured I'd post for all to see (and because BC wanted to see it haha) for my first stippled PMAG (black Gen M2).

Here's a quick picture. I've got a few other ones that I'll post later.

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss188/LtThompsonCS/_DSC8030_Vignette.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/LtThompsonCS/media/_DSC8030_Vignette.jpg.html)

... and for all of us camera nerd out there who'd like to know:
D5100
Nikon 35mm f/1.8
ISO 1250 @ f/4
1/20 sec

Thanks for all of your help BC!

Your consistency is looking good! Now you just gotta start experimenting with non standard tips!

[DutyUse]

Wow, if this is your first crack at it color me impressed. My first attempts were… well lets just say I don't try to do it myself anymore lol

[Thompson]

Your consistency is looking good! Now you just gotta start experimenting with non standard tips!
Oh - that's what scares me haha. I wouldn't even know how to make patterns for that.

Duty - yes, this was my first ever stipple job.

Thanks for the kind words!

[Thompson]

Here's two more shots I took.

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss188/LtThompsonCS/_DSC8032_BW.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/LtThompsonCS/media/_DSC8032_BW.jpg.html)
Black & White (and probably my favorite photo out of the 3, even though it's black and white)

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss188/LtThompsonCS/_DSC8039_SC.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/LtThompsonCS/media/_DSC8039_SC.jpg.html)
Selective Color

[iowa hawkeyes]

Here's two more shots I took.

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss188/LtThompsonCS/_DSC8032_BW.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/LtThompsonCS/media/_DSC8032_BW.jpg.html)
Black & White (and probably my favorite photo out of the 3, even though it's black and white)

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss188/LtThompsonCS/_DSC8039_SC.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/LtThompsonCS/media/_DSC8039_SC.jpg.html)
Selective Color
Looks great

[Thompson]

Looks great
A little late (didn't see this back then) - thanks!

[JonQ]

I picked up an adjustable wood burner/soldering iron for stippling stuff, it's pretty awesome once you figure out the right setting for what you're stippling. I tend to just use the finest tip to get the texture I like.

I used mags for practice, so I'm not sure what to tell you there... :-D

That's a good suggestion on the woodburning iron. I have one of those so all I need to do is get a fine tip. It might have finer tuning on the heat than my soldering iron.

[FortTom]

I wish I had the patience and "artistic" skills to do that. I'd consider doing a PMag, no big deal, it'll still work, but after all of those little holes, I think I'd start getting antsy to finish after just one square. I sure as heck wouldn't touch one of my M&P's or Glocks with a soldering iron. A guy whose screen name is Aziator was doing M&P back straps while he was stationed in Iraq. He did some beautiful starburst effect stippling for the back straps on a couple of my M&P's.

I do appreciate the work that some folks do, it's just beyond me how they do it, and stay sane, when a little "oops" can turn into a big "awwwwww sh*t". Battle Cock does some impressive work. I'd like to get the frame of my G23 done, more for practical reasons than "art", but folks that do them get big buck for their service, and if you don't like the results, you're S.O.L.

FT

[Tedfs3]

I can't take good pictures and couldn't draw my way out of a paper bag but jumped into stippling my own stuff a couple years ago.
Mine end up similar to the pattern on hg8057's. I like the smaller texture better than others, it just works for me better.

Each small panel takes about 5 minutes, wrap around panels take about 7. Haven't bothered to count how long it takes to to the bottom yet.

http://nomercygiven.com/Images/CAM137.jpg

[Stone]

Hey guys, I haven't seen it mentioned here but the fumes from burning those plastic parts are highly toxic. Make sure you have some serious ventilation when you stipple and try not to breath the smoke that comes from stippling. I stippled a few parts but did it under an exhaust fan. Just a heads up...

[DutyUse]

Battle Cock does some impressive work.

FT

He's working his magic on a couple things for me at the moment and I'm thoroughly impressed.

[Thompson]

I wish I had the patience and "artistic" skills to do that. I'd consider doing a PMag, no big deal, it'll still work, but after all of those little holes, I think I'd start getting antsy to finish after just one square.
Why do you think it took me sooo long to finish haha (besides being busy). Nothing wrong with just doing one square/session, that's what I've done before.

Nice job on stippling those PMAGs Ted.


Hey guys, I haven't seen it mentioned here but the fumes from burning those plastic parts are highly toxic. Make sure you have some serious ventilation when you stipple and try not to breath the smoke that comes from stippling. I stippled a few parts but did it under an exhaust fan. Just a heads up...
You address a very good point ... personally I don't have an exhaust fan ..... so I just sit next to a window.


He's working his magic on a couple things for me at the moment and I'm thoroughly impressed.
We'll be expecting some pictures when you get said items back!

[DutyUse]

Got a package from BattleCock :D

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/07/95e02eb165d8a8f0f8c271be483c9b90.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/07/7ed003468c660c29ea88eabacdf870cc.jpg

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/07/2a298bf1b3bfb9d256dc648401b8ca7e.jpg

[Thompson]

Dang - great job BC

[DutyUse]

Dang - great job BC

Agreed! It looks and feels even better In person. The grip is really going to set off my Noveske build! :D

[Thompson]

Might have to contact the man sometime soon to get some custom work done ;)

[Battle Cock]

I wish I'd had time to get the WEVO mag into the studio. It's pretty clean.

[KevinBLC]

I wish I'd had time to get the WEVO mag into the studio. It's pretty clean.

A WEVO mag would be killer. I didn't someone do one here before with the etched mag?

[Thompson]

A WEVO mag would be killer. I didn't someone do one here before with the etched mag?
Yep - back in (I think it was) June, CMT did a custom batch of PMAGs for folks here on WEVO. (... and I somehow missed that thread [bash])