Here is how I make the gun from a set of kit parts. These parts were printed at 1/4 scale. Here are all the parts for the receiver and the barrel.

The first step is to join the two large barrel parts with the proper orientation. The small oval section on one piece aligns with the long oval slot on the other piece. I use acetone to glue the parts together...align the parts and brush acetone onto the joint. I sand the parts at this stage to help smooth the finish. The small barrel parts need to be drilled to accept the support tube that will be used. In this case I drilled them 1/8". Drilling must be done slowly and carefully not to damage the parts.

Next butt glue the receiver side plates together using acetone. I use a mix of acetone and ABS plastic to make a thicker glue than just acetone alone. Cut some ABS plastic into small pieces and dissolve in a few milliliters of acetone in a small container that isn't affected by acetone (tupper ware, glass, etc). Once the side plates are solid glue them to a piece of wood that is the correct thickness and shape. For a 1/4 scale gun I used 1/2" balsa.

Drill a hole in the end of the wood block to accept the support rod. Use the appropriate small barrel piece to determine where the hole goes.

Assemble the barrel pieces onto the support rod. I used CA to glue the barrel to the wood block and acetone to glue the plastic parts together. Be sure to get the parts oriented correctly. Glue the muzzle booster on.

Glue on the rest of the receiver parts.

Spray on a couple coats of auto primer and sand to smooth and fill the surfaces.

Once you have the gun as smooth as desired paint it appropriately. I used Rustoleum Hammered Finish Black spray.

Dear radfordc:

The PIPE Here...if you ever needed to do an EARLY model Spandau MG (the lMG 08) as used on Fokker Eindeckers, the Halberstadt D II or the earliest Albatros fighters (up through the D II), check the post I placed up in the Scale Drawings & 3-Views forum HERE...

...the earlier one was a fair BIT different-"looking", while still fitting the exact same mounting dimensions as your "later" LMG 08/15 did!

Hope this helps, if you're ever interested...

Yours Sincerely,
The PIPE....!!

Thanks. The CAD work is where the real work lies. I'm not skilled enough to do it, so must rely on whatever existing CAD files I can find.

Dear radfordc:

The PIPE Here again...since I only got the start on those lMG 08 drawings at the start of July this year, it IS going to take some time to have a complete-enough set to have them as line drawings, usable for making one's own example of them.

Attached to the footer of this reply is a graphic showing just WHERE the "differences" are between the lMG 08 and the later, LMG 08/15 ordnance designs...at the very least, you'll get a better idea of exactly where the differences between the two of them exist.

It seems that no "pressing" needs exist for those DesignCAD-drafted lMG 08 drawings as yet...but be assured, whenever I find time for 'em, those ARE going to get some serious attention on my home PC...!

Thanks and Yours Sincerely,
The PIPE....!!