Star Wars FN-2199 First Order Riot Baton

“TRAITOR!”

If you have seen Star Wars, The Force Awakens, then you know what I am talking about. The enraged shout of the First Order Stormtrooper, FN-2199, as he confronts Finn during the raid at Maz Kanata's.

This is immediately followed by an EPIC fight!

Finn with the lightsaber and FN-2199 with his First Order Riot Baton.

You know you want one! No, not the lightsaber, the riot baton!

This is how I made one out of PVC pipe.

These are the materials I used to make my baton.

Pipes:

• 22 inches of 1 ½” PVC
• 26 inches of 1” PVC
• 11 inches of ¾” PVC
  
  • *Note: Make sure the 1” pipe can easily slide inside the 1 ½” pipe.*
• 2 – 1” PVC tee-joints
• 3 – ¾” PVC end caps
  
  • *Note: Make sure the end cap fits inside the tee-joints*
• 2 – 1” PVC end cap
• 1 – ¾ PVC coupling
  
  • *Note: Make sure the coupling fits inside the tee-joints*
• 19 inch length of large diameter cardboard shipping tube

Hardware:

• 2 – caps from plastic water bottles
• 2 – 1 1/2” screws
• 1 – 3” screw
• 3 – washers same diameter as screws
• 1 large electrical wire twist connector

Tools and other:

• Hacksaw
• File
• Drill with small diameter bit
• poster board at least 6" x 9"
• Shiny silver duct tape (not dull)
• White spray paint
• White paint
• Glossy black spray paint
• Glossy black paint
• Red paint
• Silver paint
• Glue, epoxy or contact cement
• Masking tape
• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Foam paint brushes
• Small paint brushes

1. Measure and cut off 6” from the 22” length of 1 ½” PVC. This will leave you 16”.
2. File off any rough edges from both pieces.
3. Measure and cut off 8” from the 26” length of 1” PVC. This will leave you 18”.
4. File off any rough edges from both pieces.
5. Measure and cut off 3” from the 11” length of ¾” PVC. This will leave you 8”.
6. File off any rough edges from both pieces.
7. Cut the cardboard tube lengthwise in half.
8. Cut a 2” diagonal from each end of the cardboard. My cuts had rough edges but I went over it with masking tape to make a straight line. The masking tape also gave a more uniform surface to paint. This will make the conductor contact vanes.

This step will make the caps to cover the screws holding the conductor vanes, the cap for the middle section between the conductor vanes, and the points on the handle end.

**They need to be curved to fit the shape of the tube.**

1. With the curve side of the file, wear down the sides of the water bottle caps making a concave edge.
2. With the curve side of the file, wear down the open sides of the 1" end cap making another concave edge.

To make the raised pyramid shaped points on the handle end of the baton, use the poster board.

1. Measure and cut off three 1" x 6" strips from the 6" x 9" poster board leaving a 6" x 6" square. These strips will become the sides and ends.
2. Cut one of the 1" x 6" strips into four 1 1/2" strips.
3. Cut a curve into two of the 1 1/2" strips. This will make the end pieces.
4. Mark the remaining 6" x 6" square into a grid of 1/2" squares. This will make it 12 x 12 grid.
5. Please refer to the figure for simple step clarification.
6. Measure this grid out to 3 x 3 squares.
7. Make lines at the indicated rows.
8. Make crossing lines as indicated.
9. Cut along the indicated areas.
10. Fold at the appropriate seams.
11. Now that you have individual forms, fold them, overlapping the small "yellow" triangles and secure them with the glue.
12. Attach them together into a row using the 1" x 6" strips.
13. Attach the curved end pieces to each end.

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: This step would be much MUCH easier to just 3D print the parts using an M3D Micro 3D Printer, but I do not have yet have one, so I am having to do this manually.)

1. Attach the ¾ coupling to one end of the 8” length of ¾” PVC using epoxy.
2. When the 8” length of ¾” pipe is dry, cut the coupling in half.
3. File off any rough edges.
4. Attach one ¾” end cap to the other end of the 8” length of ¾” PVC using epoxy. This will be the handle.
5. Attach both parts of the 1” PVC pipes to opposite ends of one of the tee-joints using epoxy.
6. Attach a ¾” end cap to one end of the 3” length of ¾” PVC using epoxy.
7. Insert the 3” length of ¾” PVC into the second tee-joint.
8. Push the end cap into the joint leaving about half poking out.
9. Attach the other ¾” end cap onto the opposite end of the 3” length of ¾” pipe inside the tee-joint with the epoxy. Make sure the same amount is poking out from both ends of the tee-joint.
10. Apply contact cement over the 8” length of 1” pipe.
11. Slide the 6” length of 1 1/2” pipe over the epoxy.
12. Attach 1” cap to end of 8” length of 1” pipe with epoxy.
13. Apply contact cement of the 18” length of 1” pipe.
14. Slide the 16” length of 1 ½” pipe over the epoxy.
15. Attach the tee-joint with the ¾” tube to the end of the 1” pipe using epoxy. Make sure the openings are parallel to the opening of the other tee-joint.

If any of your seams have noticeable gaps, add a bead of epoxy around each to smooth them out.

In a well ventilated area, paint some of the parts.

• The conductor vanes will be white.
• The handle points will be black.
• The large electrical wire twist connector will be silver.
• The handle will be black.

When the handle is dry:

1. Paint the end cap silver.
2. With the shiny duct tape make 7 strips about 1" wide and 4" long.
3. Wrap 6 of the strips around the black handle leaving a small space between each strip.
4. Wrap the last strip around the silver cap on the handle.

1. Using the drill, make a pilot hole directly in the center of each 3/4" cap in the tee-joint.
2. Make another pilot hole directly in the center of the concave 1" cap.
3. Make another pilot hole directly in the center of the tee-joint.
4. Start the 3" screw and one of the washers, into the outside of the concave cap until it is level to the edge of the cap.
5. Apply contact cement along the edge of the concave cap.
6. Line up the screw with the hole in the tee-joint.
7. Screw the cap to the tee-joint careful not to go too fast or too deep and crack the cap or the tee-joint.
8. Apply contact cement around the outer edge of the cap where it meets the tee-joint to fill in any gaps.
9. Drill a hole about 4" into the end of the conductor vanes.
10. Add epoxy to the holes of the 3/4" caps in tee-joint.
11. Using the 1 1/2" screws and washers attach the conductor vanes to the 3/4" caps inside the tee-joint.
12. Apply epoxy to the concave edge of the water bottle caps.
13. Attach them over the screws and washers on the conductor vanes.
14. Apply epoxy to fill in any gaps in the seam of the cap and the vane.

Now that the conductor vanes are attached, it is time to paint the whole thing white.

1. In a well ventilated area, hang the baton and give it several even coats with the white spray paint.
2. Once it is dry, tape off the sections leaving an open strip about 1 inch wide along the length of the shaft to the tee-joint.
3. On the handle tape off the sides leaving the top and bottom open to be painted.
4. Paint these open sections black with the foam brush and paint.
5. Repeat the taping and black paint to the other side.
6. Once dry, remove the tape.
7. Touch up any parts, white or black, with the small brushes.

Now it is time to put the rest of it together!

1. First, with the epoxy, glue the handle points to the short end of the baton. It will be on the side opposite the tee-joint opening.
2. Then with black paint add the two triangle shaped and small round "buttons" to the tee-joint.
3. Repeat for the other side.
4. Using the shiny duct tape, make 15 strips about 1" x 6".
5. Beginning on the conductor vanes, wrap one strip around the center of the vane.
6. Then wrap another strip at each of of each vane. Make sure you are just far enough in to be next to the angles on the ends.
7. Wrap the final strips of the vane centered between the middle and end strips.
8. Repeat for the second vane.
9. Wrap one strip around the end cap just after the tee-joint holding the vanes.
10. Wrap another just on the other side of the same tee-joint.
11. Wrap another strip where the other tee-joint meets the shaft. Leave about 1/2" of black exposed after the strip.
12. The last two strips wrap evenly spaced between the two tee-joints.
13. With the epoxy, secure the silver painted wire connector cap to the end of the baton.
14. Secure the handle to the open tee-joint with the contact cement.
15. The final detail will be adding the red lights along each side in the black stripe of the shaft using the red paint.

There you have it!

Now you have your own First Order Riot Baton to take on any of your lightsaber yielding opponents, just like the one FN-2199 used against Finn!

Thank you very much for checking out my 'ible.

Happy constructing!

(Author's Note: I have already began plans for my FORB 2.0 design. It will incorporate lights and will also pivot in the center. Stay tuned!)