There is no better way to really dive into a hobby such as 3D printing than to just pick a big project and power through it. For this, I chose a handcannon from the video game Destiny 2 called the SunShot. It is complex, and required a lot of printing, sanding and painting for it to turn out well.
When working on a project like this, it always helps to bring along a friend so you can both do it together. My younger brother is also into 3D printing, and so I challenged him to print a handcannon as well, and then we would both meet up and paint them together.
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/2da0296f-58a7-417e-899f-e4be5c5b0a90_rw_1920.jpg?h=304ab188fc5fcf4e6c9a4d78cfae000f)
The following is a gallery of images from start to finish, with some of them having specific comments about what I learned from those parts of the process. I also included the shots of the revolver-style handcannon (The Last Word) that my brother printed. They both turned out awesome.
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/8668827c-302f-48ad-90b4-625feea9aac4_rw_3840.jpg?h=2096e64e0cc2592aa7b9340d088deb10)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf4.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/f8c99646-a692-45d5-9e83-2f944af395f6_rw_3840.jpg?h=5dcc5dcbb42bb836f47eda3d098c20bb)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/1b20423f-0791-47bc-a4ff-a86c0449b105_rw_3840.jpg?h=aa9d2e932d5a43eb0bf3bdcae713a33e)
![Tuned the printer a bit after the first one was completed. You can see the difference in print resolution.](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/7094adb0-cb02-43cc-ae7a-0d8d3ccad0f7_rw_3840.jpg?h=07e12a62c7cf6b51168e2252c33d4165)
Tuned the printer a bit after the first one was completed. You can see the difference in print resolution.
![As this thing comes together, I realize just how big it is.](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/c0bb2da0-756a-4275-831b-1d32f574f615_rw_3840.jpg?h=b9590b9e504efbb9ecf3c7d17ec78065)
As this thing comes together, I realize just how big it is.
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/717a0983-05d8-44aa-af58-c6a7a585f787_rw_3840.jpg?h=f1f73d1c51f9067be6f2a19d682f7efc)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/9ea9277b-e7dd-4c30-9fff-8fcb095a4bb4_rw_3840.jpg?h=98a6fe9d23aba60952210c38b676f73f)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/b5d7f816-4630-4887-83c8-66fdacfc0a10_rw_3840.jpg?h=e76e4481696ea382b8d518c54f4db405)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/bf35616d-a3fe-4030-831f-5797b9ff4fff_rw_3840.jpg?h=a2e5bfd84c1c55c508790bc078bf606f)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/b53baf9f-9036-45c3-86f8-de42768832c5_rw_3840.jpg?h=5343e5805ef94e5d2cf8d229b833513c)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/d197c699-6923-4502-9571-ee322c3f174d_rw_3840.jpg?h=18084f163ccaedb645f2d111cd42a0fc)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf5.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/60d2f3af-1a09-4ae2-9796-b8d24cbe95dd_rw_3840.jpg?h=7121e84cd6933d308fc0d1bfd616ff5e)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/9752ef8d-d8af-4fa2-a641-47c2657cbcb3_rw_3840.jpg?h=9a78ca301eef59f2200efcb5e5beaf11)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf3.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/e0cb3b6a-c810-4463-b5f8-d73e01e74b45_rw_3840.jpg?h=4db738accea1af3274f210911d88fc9e)
![Most of the pieces are finished. Time for sanding!](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/024f7d25-301d-43c9-81f3-9392d8147e93_rw_1920.jpg?h=9ecdfa6b181655185164728831321ddf)
Most of the pieces are finished. Time for sanding!
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/97527078-a2c0-41ba-b8b5-36eef0186eca_rw_1920.jpg?h=5293e3d414a7c052a5f8810cad4f821a)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf5.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/661e4026-5003-4732-864a-75a60fd055c4_rw_3840.jpg?h=b34abc0ddb5657c15a944f36fdc9c336)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/9c14bd20-ab09-438d-a7ed-6cf78b3c9039_rw_3840.jpg?h=c6e5d83ec52c9768528042ef10201d6e)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf3.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/43a89bd4-862e-409b-8db1-501022ac4dc8_rw_3840.jpg?h=9344adda35a9ec4161dca60dc0203351)
![Taped together. This thing is massive!](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/192d265c-8aab-4a56-b54a-081639721e2c_rw_3840.jpg?h=0331f781676c391e57d7c28585b05fa9)
Taped together. This thing is massive!
![My brother painting primer.](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf5.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/6ebda751-b17f-4d31-9c0e-71e17132bb9d_rw_3840.jpg?h=558919ae5ecc0af8e014f11888cfd731)
My brother painting primer.
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf4.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/f7f09308-a2b9-4045-9493-fd6126606eb9_rw_3840.jpg?h=8c58d4bf8401370bc182361b5c5d98b3)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/79304336-8547-4aec-bc76-81414f64c060_rw_3840.jpg?h=4e402d28f2110ebb3c5853adbce8c4c5)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/97965a84-ffff-4a6a-a2bf-024b22cc5e82_rw_3840.jpg?h=b87c3184e4eb0f091598dffad6c0ed09)
![Primer finished on my brothers handcannon.](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/186709cd-0caf-4a8f-ba27-86e069a5cc8a_rw_3840.jpg?h=ac5a1f6cf376234ee0b780a586d7b588)
Primer finished on my brothers handcannon.
![Primer finished on my handcannon](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf5.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/667aa736-9e5c-4b7a-9592-d0937feed1f4_rw_3840.jpg?h=7ea969af9d884f8c875590d0f79d9b7d)
Primer finished on my handcannon
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf4.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/fea413f0-b3c0-410c-ad27-5ee5425e82dd_rw_3840.jpg?h=85789f816273d6e9b04ef57f8d83bca7)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf4.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/f257fbde-9d2d-4bf2-ac4e-46fc229b8f57_rw_3840.jpg?h=6f9bf07d702b6d8c81f3bfae42741703)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf3.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/e7dadd8c-0e89-40df-957b-8672812b3c1c_rw_3840.jpg?h=88e153741b305c7181d5c0d77c689647)
![Brushing in fine gold detail.](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf5.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/644f4600-23ea-417c-a3e1-38d2dfe236ec_rw_3840.jpg?h=3f4a4ecc898cae2ee18b1929385cb77b)
Brushing in fine gold detail.
![Painting the black!](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/d8a1dd1f-8bcf-475d-b2fa-8b5e924d0568_rw_3840.jpg?h=ca305cc10d3d071564ea997207b92bf6)
Painting the black!
![After 5-6 hours of painting, the finished result!](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf2.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/35225dda-9661-4465-8224-73048a857929_rw_3840.jpg?h=30ecefb63af6489196bb895ded3dfd4e)
After 5-6 hours of painting, the finished result!
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/91e12e75-d746-4911-ab25-bfd193e53524_rw_3840.jpg?h=2d65ce589caf32a4aa8e2b66a9a7d24f)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/aa8a54dd-6d5f-4f0e-9b3b-1461494d4298_rw_3840.jpg?h=3d53d7036d01048607fd15352a97695c)
![Wonderful printed gold detail.](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf6.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/74a39a8e-53a3-4f53-9965-a3b0c56f3075_rw_3840.jpg?h=cc5eb7d61cdeff8cff77fbc9ab81c732)
Wonderful printed gold detail.
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/c65fc2e5-9cba-457d-bfcb-57116299c5ce_rw_1920.jpg?h=69c9b926244f2337021102385b32dd8e)
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/91b24f1c-e81b-4f4f-b6d2-ccb4e26bbf64_rw_1920.jpg?h=b1b1423134ffd9543b69af1240977de8)
![The SunShot looks awesome!](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/968aef06-4936-41da-874e-ad8dd83e46ab_rw_1920.jpg?h=4e997cfb6393aa38d3f770896476c235)
The SunShot looks awesome!
![](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/92447b9d-789c-47fe-976f-9d4798855460_rw_3840.jpg?h=0e1bc284b9d2f1e2249d3d17d1f84e45)
![All... only one layer of paint to go to make it look used. (burn marks, etc)](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf3.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/4f577416-4ff0-44e1-ac50-78b498fdf55a_rw_1920.jpg?h=dd2d01c55dcd4e8747c86bfb03a260c7)
All... only one layer of paint to go to make it look used. (burn marks, etc)
![Glamor shot before the final coat to make it look used.](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf1.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/c482cc49-522e-49d1-94e7-1701eb431699_rw_1920.jpg?h=6024316b2d3009ebce29c5c946834310)
Glamor shot before the final coat to make it look used.
![Final Shot. It turned out great!](https://pro2-bar-s3-cdn-cf5.myportfolio.com/06ebadb0a2dd9540f8f4fe13946019e1/69210804-e48c-43cc-b141-93798661e5e5_rw_1920.jpg?h=05b1fd361e1b018de8573c79a2f485c0)