Making props for movies is no small feat and Adam Savage from MythBusters fame knows this all too well. Those familiar with the show probably know that he is/was a special effects designer and prop maker for major motion pictures (Star Wars Episode II, Bicentennial Man, The Matrix Reloaded), so his venture into making one the most detailed props was right up his alley. To wit- he created a replica of the Mecha-Glove worn by Rasputin in the movie Hellboy (even though it was only in the movie less than 5-minutes).
Adam created the design with over 1,000 separate parts, with some being stitched together, machined, 3D printed, molded, and every other method of fabrication you can think of. The glove’s glass tubes were blown, he hand-stitched the quilting and even did the intricate leatherwork. The glove’s metal wrist assembly rotates using 6-inch internal Kaydon bearings but it’s unknown whether or not it will be motorized in the future.
The lighting in some of the bulbs was done using 12V ‘grain of wheat’ bulbs, giving the glove that unique vacuum-tube glow. Everything was highly detailed down to the Nazi Germany pressure gauge (aka Demon Gauge) mounted on the side of the glove. It took Adam almost 5 years and a small fortune to complete the Mecha-Glove (and he’s working on another one), however, there will be upgrades such as motorized parts and lighting and sound effects controlled by an Arduino.
You’re going to want to watch the video!
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