Laser Gun

This laser gun is another prop for The DNA Trail. The character who uses it is a very over the top, almost cartoony scientist. The look I was going for was somewhere between Saturday morning cartoon and B-Movie. I found the top silver piece almost by accident. It was a part of a game I saw at Salvation Army called "Lazer Bounce" I bought it hoping it would contain real lasers, it didn't, but the shape of this piece seemed perfect. The bottom gun pieces came from a toy gun I picked up at the dollar store that I cut the back off of. I attached the two pieces together using a two part plastic epoxy. 

The laser lights are simply two laser pointers that I ordered on Ebay. I chose these specifically becuase they came with interchangable heads that could project the laser as different images. Most of the designs were silly (hearts, happy birthday, signs of the zodiac...) but I found two sunburst style designs that were what I needed. 

I cut holes behind the "barrel" of the gun and slid the laser pointers in. Initially I laid them flat, but reaching the button to turn them on, while keeping a hand on the trigger was difficult.In the end I placed them at an angle, with the button pressed against the inside wall. from there I could push the end of the pointer in, which functioned as a lever, pushed the button against the inside wall and caused the laser to light.

I taped out some of the original colors I wanted to keep and then spray painted the whole thing gold.

We had some trouble later becuase the actress had two many things in her hands. I created an improvised holster out of a coat hanger, some epoxy putty and the nylon strapping left over from the subway handles. Another reason not to throw anything away.