Britain’s mad scientist built a life-size TIE Silencer from ‘The Last Jedi’

By Mark Austin Published December 10, 2017

Colin Furze is a certifiably insane inventor with millions of subscribers to his YouTube channel, where he posts videos that embrace the very definition of “don’t try this at home.” In the past, he’s built a fully operational thermite cannon, a microwave that becomes a video game console, and even a home-built hoverbike that he piloted around the countryside. He was even featured on Top Gear, when he modified an amusement park bumper car to set a speed record.

For his newest project, he wanted to do something really big. But what’s a guy to do when he already has a life-size AT-ACT Walker in his back yard? After his last project, eBay challenged him to create a life-sized replica of a TIE Silencer fighter from the latest Star Wars film The Last Jedi.

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The blueprints for something like that can’t be found just laying around, so Furze did the next best thing. “We were sent a TIE silencer toy via eBay,” Furze explained to Empire Online. “We measured this toy, and just scaled everything up.”

When completed, the massive replica was 46 feet long and 14 feet high. After it was built, the team moved it to the front lawn of a historical landmark, the Burghley House in Stamford, for the public to enjoy.

They got everything they needed for the project from eBay, apart from the steel frame. It took a team of up to five people about six weeks to build. Furze doesn’t have any special qualifications for what he does, he just has an avid interest in gadgets and construction. “In theory, I still am a plumber,” Furze told Empire Online in an interview from the build site. “Because it’s the only thing I’ve got qualifications for.”

Joining him on the project was James Bruton, a robot engineer, who created an authentic replica of the BB-8 droid. Using only parts from eBay, Burton created the droid using 3D-printed parts, balancing weights, and an internal magnet.

With more Star Wars films on the way, what’s next for Furze? “It’d have to be pretty big,” he said. “They’ve just announced three more films, right? That’s three more potential projects!”

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