Darth Vader ANH V2 Clamp Card LEDs…

Captain Dunsel

Captain Dunsel

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I’m looking to construct my own Vader ANH Vader V2 hilt and am looking for the LEDs from the Exactra to construct my clamp card.

Does anyone have the actual specs / name of these calculator LEDs?

IMG_8830.jpeg
 
Hi Alley,

The correct vintage red LEDs can be sourced on a vintage TI-2500 Datamath calculator. If you have the patience, you can de-solder them and install them on a blue board from Brad (Slothfurnace).

243941295_284727353473529_5251895339254626833_n.jpg
 
Also, if I might add, to my knowledge, those are not present in all TI2500! only the early ones, you can do some research on the datamath website to make sure of the version you need to find. good luck :)
 
Slothfurnace used to produce fairly accurate clamp cards with the LEDs which actually worked with an electric supply. It looks like he’s out of them, but you could always check if anyone else on therpf might have an extra. Like Ethan said above, not Al ti2500’s have the LEDs.
 
I was trying to remember what was the calculator that has the other red leds with the built-in bubbles and is usually easy to find on ebay and cheap . I've posted my builds with it and slothfurnace's pcbs in some other thread, but I don't keep the pictures anymore ...
So it was Texas Instruments SR-50. I also think the SR-50A had the same leds or similar to the ones in ti 2500 but I'm not 100% sure (I just remember they were red, but less accurate than those in SR-50).
More work as you have to both unsolder the leds and then sand off the bubbles - but the result is almost identical to the real leds (better than ti 2500).
So you might check this one too if you don't mind the extra work
 
IronDestinyProps said:
Hi Alley,

The correct vintage red LEDs can be sourced on a vintage TI-2500 Datamath calculator. If you have the patience, you can de-solder them and install them on a blue board from Brad (Slothfurnace).

View attachment 1692596
Click to expand...

Exactly that—I have one of Slothfurnace’s card blanks and am looking to solder on the correct LEDs.

Thanks, all, for the great tips!
 
ALLEY I stand corrected, I was rushing to make my initial post and didn't look back at the legitimate, accurate red LEDs on the proper board. It's clear the TI 2500 LEDs are in the neighborhood but not precisely accurate.

I'm not familiar with the SR-50 but if it has the right LEDs I would go that route if you're willing to do the desoldering/resoldering.
 
ALLEY said:
Success!

(I picked up a card using an alternative path)

This is now, by far, my favorite clamp card found in the OT lightsabers.

View attachment 1696711
Click to expand...

What made the difference for you? Personally, I have nothing against this design, but I prefer the consistency of the three ANH sabers having the bubble-strips.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they gave the V1 the bubbles for the second round of filming so it would be consistent with the others. The V2 and its LED strip was the initial design, and then they refined it with the bubbles for the V1.
 
Gregatron said:
What made the difference for you? Personally, I have nothing against this design, but I prefer the consistency of the three ANH sabers having the bubble-strips.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they gave the V1 the bubbles for the second round of filming so it would be consistent with the others. The V2 and its LED strip was the initial design, and then they refined it with the bubbles for the V1.
Click to expand...

I just love the blue color of the card, the detail of the copper wires, the red LEDs…it just looks far more complex than the other clamp cards seen in the OT.

I guess you could say, “it’s pretty” to me ;)

I’ll bet that they really wanted this particular detail for ALL the ANH clamps but, given they were in short supply, had to settle for bubbles in all the other saber clamps. :p
 
ALLEY said:
I just love the blue color of the card, the detail of the copper wires, the red LEDs…it just looks far more complex than the other clamp cards seen in the OT.

I guess you could say, “it’s pretty” to me ;)

I’ll bet that they really wanted this particular detail for ALL the ANH clamps but, given they were in short supply, had to settle for bubbles in all the other saber clamps. :p
Click to expand...

That's certainly a viable theory.
 
Gregatron said:
That's certainly a viable theory.
Click to expand...

I believe that I read an article, somewhere, that George Lucas was actually obsessed with the ANH MPP V2 clamp card and tried to insert it into the images of all OT lightsabers in the Special Editions, but, alas, the attempts failed and it was the one part of the OT that remains incongruent from his original vision and haunts him to this day.
 
ALLEY said:
I believe that I read an article, somewhere, that George Lucas was actually obsessed with the ANH MPP V2 clamp card and tried to insert it into the images of all OT lightsabers in the Special Editions, but, alas, the attempts failed and it was the one part of the OT that remains incongruent from his original vision and haunts him to this day.
Click to expand...

And the DVD and Blu-Ray Editions employed different, yet equally-failed CGI clamp cards. A macklunkey card was added for the aborted 3D release, which was reused for 4K Blu-Ray and streaming.
 
I think you did a great job on the card, saber looks ace.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but this variation of circuit card has never been 100% identified/verified in any screen-grab/movie still except for one grainy B&W on-set photo, right? And even in that one photo, it’s more of a guess than exact proof? Are there newer photos of the screen-used lightsaber that I missed?
 
Last edited:
James Kenobi 1138 said:
I think you did a great job on the card, saber looks ace.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but this variation of circuit card has never been 100% identified/verified in any screen-grab/movie still except for one grainy B&W on-set photo, right? And even in that one photo, it’s more of a guess than exact proof? Are there newer photos of the screen-used lightsaber that I missed?
Click to expand...

As far as I know, these are all the screen grabs / BTS photos of the hilt that I have ever seen…

IMG_8947.jpeg

IMG_8946.jpeg
 

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