Lightsaber Screws

Considering the fact that, glued, screwed, or otherwise, the T Track would still most likely have broken time and again, do you all think sheet metal screws could be used over and over in the same hole? Seems to me that it would work fine. I have an aluminum light stand that I've used for over twenty years, I attached some clips to it for holding an accessory pouch and I used machine screws. The aluminum is thicker than the metal used in the Graflex, but it's softer too.

I'm thinking that phillips head sheet metal screws are more likely at this point than button head socket cap screws and threaded holes.
 
Even if phillips screws were used, my keen eyes have a hard time seeing an x in the screw cap on the ESB saber pictures available and already posted in this thread . . .

-Chaim
 
Sometimes we only see what we want, and our imagination blends out everything that doesn´t fits our premade wishes.

Happens all the time - and i extremly noticed that here on the RPF, when people discuss over only pixelwise noticeable "details" on any blurry pics with a confidence as if they would own that part since years. :wacko
 
Okay whilest negotiating for a nice vintage ESB connector board I was send this picture along with some more by The RealMcFly ... thanks ... so this is how it appeared on the MoM exhibition ...



The question remains however was this done during filming or repaired with phillips head screws after production, whilest they also added a piece of that textured mylar tape?



Notice how the Kobold part is also adjusted in regards to the pictures presented by Kurtyboy in this thread?

-Chaim
 
Has anyone had any thoughts as to why grips 2 & 4 on the Hoth Saber (Starting from the control box, going clockwise) are disfigured? I'm still guessing that they started casting grips to get so many and these were crappy casts...

I wonder if the grips, tape and kobold clip came off post production, and the dept put things back on to have something to show.
 
Getting a clean edge on Gino's grips is a careful procedure. I believe they are made from extruded ABS. Perhaps they had a similar problems with the original material. Applying the theory that they used only what was nearby and practical with no thought to aesthetics, I'd say we're looking at sloppy cuts. And on hoth it almost looks like water droplets distorting the view further.

What I'm itching to know is where the smaller cheesehead screws fit into the picture. Gino explained in his extensive research of the original T Track that there were holes every 8" for securing the track into cabinets. So do the early photos of Mark in a clean costume feature these too, or was it a modification done to the saber only appearing on what I am calling the final configuration? I think the photos are from Celebration 3. Love to see more if anyone has some.

Regarding the Philips head screws in that photo, I don't think anyone has yet to use the correct size. I too think they are most likely sheet metal screws, and not machine screws, but perhaps smaller than we think. Chaim, I sent you two sets of philips with the connector maybe you will get around to comparison shots before me.
 
TheRealMcFly said:
Getting a clean edge on Gino's grips is a careful procedure. I believe they are made from extruded ABS. Perhaps they had a similar problems with the original material. Applying the theory that they used only what was nearby and practical with no thought to aesthetics, I'd say we're looking at sloppy cuts. And on hoth it almost looks like water droplets distorting the view further.

What I'm itching to know is where the smaller cheesehead screws fit into the picture. Gino explained in his extensive research of the original T Track that there were holes every 8" for securing the track into cabinets. So do the early photos of Mark in a clean costume feature these too, or was it a modification done to the saber only appearing on what I am calling the final configuration? I think the photos are from Celebration 3. Love to see more if anyone has some.
Click to expand...

These are very good points (thats a baad cut, rounding the whole thing and taking the ridge down that far) but your point on the extra holes intrigues me. Wouldn't we have seen little holes on the track before the screws were put in? unless the track they used first was minus the holes, and when putting more on, those new sections happened to have the holes, and they just "filled them in"
 
Another great question. The problem is because of the placement of the predrilled holes we only have a chance of spotting one tiny cheesehead at a time from any one view, let alone wether there was an empty hole there.

I tend to think that what is left of the original prop is the same as the Hero we are spotting in the early photos. I like the tiny extra screws but if they started black, we will never be able to see one. What would happen if the textured tape, which to me looks like wax paper backed hot sandwich foil, was removed from its final configuration? Would there be narrower silver tape be underneath?

Chaim also pointed out earlier the changing position of the Kobold D ring attachment. What if that early photo really does portray a broken grip that was replaced. Perhaps a shift in the replaced grips accounts for the descrepancy. Look again at the photo Chaim posted of the Philips heads and tell me you don't spot a weld on the Kobold part. Would they have reused the original rivet holes to secure this part and what is the proper orientation as it relates to the Graflex stamp on the bottom?

This thread should be retitled the ESB Graflex DETAILS and nitty gritty. I tend to dislike the idea that the final configuration is somehow a postproduction repair. As mentioned no one really had any regard for the continuity of the hilts with only a get the shot mentality. After all the finished product is a film, and not the prop itself. Then again the ROTJ 'shared stunt' appears to have nothing to do with ROTJ at all in its present form so again... its all a theory until we see something otherwise.

Other questions: Does the 'beer tab' holder peg stay in place after it broke off? I cannot tell in any photos if there is still something present in the hole but maybe it is still there today. Who moved the red button? Probably to match the prequel version in the same display case.
 
I think I just saw....both the Hoth Saber and the SRS have a silver bump to the right of the D Ring clip. It looks to be solder or some other silver material stuck to the bottom plate of the graflex.
 
Will screws stay in a metal tube like this? I know they eat into wood and never move, but to screw them into a thin layer of brass like a flashgun...is that enough?
 
I'd be surprised if the original used anything more than sheet metal screws jammed into drilled holes. It is possible to tap a thread into the thickness of the Graflex body. I would recommend not tapping all the way through and letting the screw itself do the last of the work for a tight fit. That is if machine threaded versions of these screws even exist.
 
thd9791 said:
Will screws stay in a metal tube like this? I know they eat into wood and never move, but to screw them into a thin layer of brass like a flashgun...is that enough?
Click to expand...

From reading through, the pro-screws folks tend to side with sheet metal screws. Now I do not do a lot of screwing (because I am married *rim shot*) but I believe the purpose of the sheet metal screw would be enough.

I still say long-term solution was not a primary thought in regards to the construction by the prop guys. I believe the screws were probably added quickly and without much care, put in place for the purpose of getting through a scene without the grips moving or falling off.

As mentioned there is always the possibility that the holes were tapped. That also would hold machine screws. They also could have tapped or not tapped and added nuts. However in these cases you would have to believe that the prop builders cared.

Now personally, it tend to be a "how can I make something secure with the lowest amount of effort?" type of guy. If it were me, I would use sheet metal screws but ensure they did not back out by inserting a small section of wood in the tube for the screws to go into. Of course, if it were me, iI would have also added screws at the other end of the grip for non-shifting. But once again, I think they they just did the bare minimum.
 
I'm still debating this in my head... I've been over and over the blu ray screen shots tonight too, and no conclusive thought yet...
 
I present a blown up picture by Kurtyboy
Screen Shot 2016-01-13 at 5.17.55 PM.png
 
I thought, I'd go for screws and found some Graflex screws (Graflex Machine Screw Part # 116-6R-4H). Don't know if they are from Graflex flashes. But they have the right size I think.

$_59.JPG $_58.JPG
 
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