David Croyle
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croyle.bsky.social
David Croyle
@croyle.bsky.social
290 followers 210 following 930 posts
#Hike, #backpack, #computer #geek, former search & rescue, #4x4, #geocache, hobby #blacksmith, #scifi, #fantasy, #ttrpg, #hamradio, instructor, #3Dprint, #Maker. Now with lemon-fresh borax! Big fan of #TheExpanse! Ninth House.
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croyle.bsky.social
101 cups?
November 10, 2025 at 7:58 PM
croyle.bsky.social
When you don't have a clamp that will reach the spot where the Barge cement is drying, but you do have a heavy chunk of steel nearby, you improvise. 😁

#mandalorian #starwars #cosplay #costume #ThisIsTheWay
The inside of a Mando helmet sitting on couple of towels on a workbench, with a cylinder of steel being used as a weight to hold a piece in place until the glue dries.
October 28, 2025 at 9:36 PM
croyle.bsky.social
Here are four photos my son took of me yesterday, in my updated Mando outfit. More updates are planned and there is still much work to be done, but... progress.

I'm more bearded than usual, for the Ren Faire this weekend.

#StarWars #mandalorian #ThisIsTheWay #costume #cosplay #halloween #prop
An anonymous nerd in a Mandalorian outfit stands in front of a rusted and dirty steel wall. An anonymous nerd in a Mandalorian outfit still stands in front of a rusted and dirty steel wall. An anonymous nerd in a Mandalorian outfit stands with his back to you, in front of a rusted and dirty steel wall. This shows off the new cape, with weathering and wear. A old nerd in a Mandalorian outfit stands in front of a rusted and dirty steel wall.
October 13, 2025 at 6:11 PM
croyle.bsky.social
Just like I always say, you can't go wrong with the well-known and trusted JSADZKJ brand.

To pronounce it, you just have to sneeze with a lot of consonants.
JSADZKJ packaging.
October 8, 2025 at 4:53 AM
croyle.bsky.social
My gauntlets are finally done. One has blue LEDS while this one has a "mandoputer" display installed... Adding rare earth magnets to ;watch both shut was a lot trickier than I had imagined too, but they're finally done.

#mandolorian #costume #cosplay #starwars #ThisIsTheWay
A Mandolorian gauntlet with a small "Mandoputer" IPS TFT display installed.
October 6, 2025 at 6:51 PM
croyle.bsky.social
First test fitting! I learned a lot, which was kinda the whole point...

I'm going to call it maybe 80% done now. Still many things to add, modify, complete, etc.

#StarWars #Mandalorian #ThisIsTheWay #cosplay #halloween #prop #costume and #cat
A curious cat inspects the mysterious stranger that has appeared in the house.
September 29, 2025 at 12:18 AM
croyle.bsky.social
Current selfie stage: dorkus maximus.

#starwars #mandalorian #thisistheway #beskar
A nerd in a Mandalorian helmet. A stormtrooper stands behind him.
September 26, 2025 at 11:00 PM
croyle.bsky.social
It joins my collection from seasons 4 and 5... So that's half of them, anyway. 😅
September 24, 2025 at 4:51 PM
croyle.bsky.social
The latest #TheExpanse show crew gift, from season 2, to land at my house...
September 24, 2025 at 4:42 PM
croyle.bsky.social
#PhotoOfTheDay is a shot of the railroad spike knife I forged a few years back. Not bad for a first attempt. Blade ground by hand.

#blacksmithing #knifemaking #knife #forge
A railroad spike knife sits on a rock, among rocks.
September 10, 2025 at 5:05 PM
croyle.bsky.social
August 15, 2025 at 4:46 AM
croyle.bsky.social
Collage of my workbench with a 3D print of a Star Wars heavy blaster rifle I am making for my Mandalorian outfit. It's been relentlessly in the "progressing, with still much to do" stage for a couple of weeks now and will stay that way for at least another week I suspect. #starwars #3dprint #maker
A collage of six photos of a workbench with a 3D printed project undergoing seemingly-infinite stages off assembly, painting, etc. Rinse and repeat!
July 30, 2025 at 6:40 PM
croyle.bsky.social
Progress. Such as it is.

#3dprint #projects #costume #prop #scifi #starwars #mandalorian #cosplay #hobby
A very cluttered (as usual) workbench with a pile of 3d-printed pieces, spraypaint, chemicals, tools, tape, etc.
July 21, 2025 at 8:09 PM
croyle.bsky.social
OK, so here's a teaser of a small part of the poster, because this is the only photo I have handy, and because I don't want you to die. 😄 I loved HarmonQuest (especially the first season) as I was a longtime D&D player and also a big fan of Harmontown.
A small portion of a HarmonQuest season 2 promotional mini poster. Jeff Davis's signature can be seen over his goblin character Boneweevil.
July 21, 2025 at 5:01 PM
croyle.bsky.social
One of my early railroad spike twists. I grabbed this photo because I love the forge scale that has peeled from the surface like burned fragments of paper, despite it being steel.

#photo #photography #forging #blacksmithing
A hot railroad spike in a small mechanic's bench vise has been twisted, resulting in forge scale breaking off from the surface.
July 7, 2025 at 7:50 PM
croyle.bsky.social
#BG3 is on sale - on Steam I think - for the biggest discount they've ever offered, even though it's totally worth full price and more... Also I do really like this illustration, especially the dour Shadowheart. 😄

#videogames #ttrpg #dnd #dnd5e
Several BG3 companion enjoy relaxing at a river or lake. Big sign ini background for "SUMMER SALE 20% OFF."
June 28, 2025 at 6:53 PM
croyle.bsky.social
I like having a good weight to a prop, which adds to the realism. Nothing like someone waving around a 7-foot anime battle-ax or a big machine-gun in one hand like it weighs nothing... When I did my 3D print of the MCRN rifle, I printed it 100% solid (rare!) to give it weight and good feel.
A 3D-printed and painted #Expanse MCRN rifle on the left, and a show-used background cast prop version on the right.
May 30, 2025 at 5:14 PM
croyle.bsky.social
I finally completed my proper MCRN pistol from #TheExpanse, although it still needs decals... Shown above a mostly 3D-printed version that also needs decals. But now I can start work on the holster.

Both are often forbidden at Cons these days, so who knows if I'll ever get to show either off IRL.
Two replica (prop) MCRN pistol variations. The bottom one is based off an Airsoft as they were on the show, with a CNC'd upper barrel assembly, etc. The upper one is mostly 3D-printed with metal barrel components and unlike the bottom version, the trigger, slide, grip safety, etc. don't function.
May 27, 2025 at 10:31 PM
croyle.bsky.social
I think I have settled on a vertical head unit configuration. I do wish I could raise the lower head unit up more, but I'm not sure I can make that happen as the mounting bar is in the way. But I could also replace the LIDO routing plate with a homemade one... Decisions, decisions...
March 11, 2025 at 8:31 PM
croyle.bsky.social
I left my heart in San Francisco... Or over it, anyway. A cupid arrow through the heart over San Francisco during Fleet Week. @SutroTower is on the far right, poking through the fog, with Alcatraz in the foreground. Photo taken from the peak of Angel Island, where we backpacked and camped overnight.
An aircraft's smoke trail has left a heart having in the sky over San Francisco, and the plane adds a fresh arrow through it. The city has partial fog at the view is from the top of Angel Island, with Alcatraz Island in the foreground. Sutro tower peeks up through the fog on the right.
March 10, 2025 at 6:22 PM
croyle.bsky.social
Happy Valentine's Day everyone. I hope everyone has some love and romance in their lives despite these crazy, dark times.

If so, a blood-splattered Shadowheart Approves... :)

#valentinesday #valentine #bg3
A blood-splattered fantasy half-elf woman in silly fantasy armor and with a cool fantasy mace on her back shares a subtle, knowing look. At the upper left the system shows a "Shadowheart approves" notification.
February 14, 2025 at 6:33 PM
croyle.bsky.social
Just arrived in the mail from The Great White North, The Expanseseason 5 crew gift BT speaker with luna motif. Also an unofficial/aftermarket MRCN "legitimate salvage" license plate frame arrived at the same time, completing the Legitimate Salvage theme for today. #scifi #TheExpanse
An MCRN "LEGITIMATE SALVAGE" license plate frame sits in front of a black box with an Airlock 5 theme for The Expanse season 5. Plate frame again, this time with reverse side of crew gift box showing "THE EXPANSE SEASON 5" and a COA decal showing the Rocinante and other details. Season 5 crew gift box open, showing the moon-themed BT speaker, a moon base layout(?) overlay, and much text about the journey to the completion of The Expanse season 5.
January 13, 2025 at 8:47 PM
croyle.bsky.social
Happy 2025 everyone! 😁
Jack (as 2025) says "I'm not going to hurt you!" as Wendy wields her bat and says "Stay away from me!"
January 1, 2025 at 5:36 AM
croyle.bsky.social
I propose that all folders marked from 2025 to 2028 use a "burning folder" icon.
Digital art of a burning dumpster.
December 27, 2024 at 6:00 PM
croyle.bsky.social
After printing and assembling my MCRN rifle prop, I finally managed to get all the weathering done over the long holiday weekend. #TheExpanse #scifi #prop #3dprint
Early test fitting of 3D-printed pieces. I re-printed several of the pieces to correct a warping of parts on one end on my printer. Switching plates corrected that... All of the pieces were printed solid with 100% infill instead of the standard 15% to add strength and more realistic weight. (Very light cosplay props always look really fake to me when they clearly weigh almost nothing when held.) Assembly and filling in the gaps. Finished! Cast screen-used prop on the left, printed rifle on the right. I had to fake the stippling around the border of the grey cheekpiece because the printed model has a flat, untextured surface... I really like the way the solid print feels. It's got weight but it's not nearly as heavy as the cast prop.
December 5, 2024 at 6:05 PM