Fallout 4 - Extended Ripper Prop Build
I built a couple of Fallout 4 props to go with my Sole Survivor's Combat Armor and my dog Caboose's Dogmeat costume earlier this year: an Extended Ripper and a Lever-Action Rifle(from the Far Harbor DLC), both made almost entirely out of EVA foam.
If you're curious how to build one for yourself, or you just want an interesting read, here's how I built my Extended Ripper prop from Fallout 4.
I started by gathering some high quality reference material, scaling the prop to the size I wanted(mine was 25"(63.5cm) from end to end, but keep in mind I'm a big dude(6'4"), so I scaled it to my hand, and it would probably be a bit big for most people for how it looks when held in-game. When scaled, I printed it onto several sheets of paper and taped them together, hit the back with some Super 77 spray adhesive, and glued it down to some cardboard, cutting it out with a sharp hobby knife after it had dried. I also drafted up a quick diagram on how the parts should be assembled, and what core things I'll need to craft.
(If you'd like my printout files, you can download them for free here)
With a rigid template in my hand, I was able to break down the main sections of the prop and draft those pieces to some paper. Knowing nearly the entire prop was going to be made from my buddy Steve's(SKS Props) HD-Foam, it needed some rigidity, so I'd be embedding a fiberglass rod(just one of those orange and white driveway markers you'll see, especially in places that get snow) through the whole prop to keep it light and rigid. The biggest issue with that is the fact that the blade housing and grip are offset with the drivetrain housing, so I'd have to split the rod and offset the two sections with that housing.
To embed it into the Ripper's guide bar(the blade section the chain spins around), I cut three of the guide bar sections out of 4mm HD-Foam, keeping those guide prongs that stick down over the chain off of one of the three cutouts and cutting a channel into that same internal guide bar piece. To glue it up, I used contact cement on the foam, and super glue on the embedded rod to sandwich it all together.
One major deviation I made was with the chain. For one, there are no cutting teeth on the chain in the game model, rendering it pretty useless as a weapon compared to if it had a chainsaw chain. Another caveat is with how far away from the housing/track the chain droops on the in-game model instead of being tensioned properly.
The chain was made by cutting out several dozen of these two shapes on 2mm HD-Foam with a pair of sharp scissors, heating up the tip of a leather hole punch with a heat gun, and pressing it(just enough to make a deep impression into the foam but not cut a hole) into the foam to simulate rivets for the chain.
When I had enough to start making the chain, I would alternate the tie straps(left) with the cutters(right), alternating with a tie strap and cutter on the reverse side, and use a tie strap piece between the two sides to simulate a linkage, lining up the rivet holes as I went, adhering everything with CA glue(superglue). Just don't glue it to the guide bar yet.
From there, I stacked up 10mm HD Foam to create the bits of the engine and drivetrain housing. Per the round parts, I used HD-Foam round dowels and wrapped them with more HD-Foam to bulk the diameter up to the correct size per my template.
The drivetrain links (the lid full of pieces on the lower-right) consist of an old USB cable cut to 3/4"(1.9cm) sections and embedded into 10mm foam dowels that are cut to 3/8"(1cm) end caps. I then used the same faux rivet method used on the chain linkages to press a concentric circle into the outside of either end. Once I had 26 or so of those links, I stacked them together to create a drivetrain for the sprockets to grab onto.
In retrospect, I wish I had taken more photos of the assembly to aid in explaining how I built the technical bits and assembled them, but the truth is, I had about a week-and-a-half to build this thing from start to finish, so I was absolutely cranking on finishing it by the deadline I set for a photoshoot.
Most of the internals were done by looking at my template and reference material, drafting a quick paper pattern, and transferring it to HD-Foam that fit the size available, then cleaning the edges up with a rotary tool and 200 grit sandpaper before gluing it together.
After those internals were glued up and I used a drill bit to chew a hole out of the grip/gas tank for the fiberglass rod, I glued it all together and finished the last decorative bits. One final note on assembly, the engine, exhaust, and knuckle guard all have a short wooden dowel embedded into the end to create a more secure connection to the body of the Ripper where each are mounted, each of which is adhered with more CA glue(superglue).
I used small eyelets and some superglue to the corresponding points on the model. The power switch is some 2mm foam cut into a long rectangle and flanked by two 2mm semicircles to create the illusion of a switch.
The guide bar and engine shrouds are all 6mm HD-Foam curved over the top with a heat gun and glued into place using contact cement.
After all of the smaller details were added and the assembly was finalized, I hit the whole thing with a quick pass of the heat gun to seal the pores of the foam, and then took it outside to apply three layers of black Plasti-Dip. At this point, it looks like an actual thing!
From here, I loosely followed Steve's painting guide he applied to his Combat Armor to get the metal and green painted bits looking correct. For the gas tank, Liquitex Heavy Body Cadmium Red was the perfect shade for the base. The details were all free-handed with Liquitex Heavy Body Cadmium Yellow, Titanium White, and Mars Black.
I also used Liquitex Heavy Body Titanium White to free-hand the ARMY text and star on the green shroud pieces with a small brush and a steady hand.
From there, the weathering was done just as Steve does it in his tutorial, foregoing the Dirty Down passes he uses, and with that, the Extended Ripper is complete!
One extra thing I did for my Sole Survivor costume at Dragon Con '25 was that I stitched together a belt loop for the Ripper to slot into so I didn't have to carry it at all times, and I think it fit the vibe the Combat Armor has in the game, with it being olive drab canvas.
As always, if there's anything anyone wants clarified, never be afraid to reach out! My DMs are always open, and I'd love to help clear up any confusion if it means you can make your own!
Happy crafting!