Graflex Bunny Ear Wiggle

Matamune

New Member

• Jan 5, 2016

• #1

Hey all.

I am building a screen accurate replica of the lightsaber Luke Skywalker used in Episode 4, A New Hope. I just acquired a vintage Graflex 3 Cell, so hard parts over (kind of). But here's my question. I noticed that the "bunny ears"clamp that was used to hold the light bulb apparatus wiggles back and forth when you move the flash handle. I was hoping that I'm not the only one who has experienced this, and that there might be some modification that I can make the the flash handle to keep the bunny ears clamp stationary.

Thanks!

 

Probe Droid

Master Member

• Jan 5, 2016

• #2

They all move, it's not just yours. On mine I centered the ring and used a few drops off crazy glue and it hasn't moved in 16 years. There are other methods as well but this works fine.



Good luck with your build. Be sure to post pix.

 

Last edited: Jan 5, 2016

Matamune

New Member

• Jan 6, 2016

• #3

It works great! And the best part is you can't even tell that there's glue holding it. It's clear, and I didn't have to use that much. Thanks man!

 

Halliwax

Legendary Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jan 6, 2016

• #4

one thing I did was with a hole saw cut a circle piece of 1/8" acrylic and then bored out the center hole so i can fit it inside the bulb clamp. it holds the bunny ears in a perfect spot and doesn't look to bad when looking down the saber


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

thd9791

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jan 6, 2016

• #5

I also stuffed pieces of pencil eraser in the corners of the bulb ring. Also hasn't moved

 

jkno

Legendary Member

• Jan 7, 2016

• #6

I use 2 small pieces of black sponge/foam, and if ever need to take them off it's easy. They hold it well and are invisible

 

JoMamma_Smurf

Master Member

• Jan 7, 2016

• #7

I always used the super glue method. Works like a charm.

 

Leigh

Sr Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jan 7, 2016

• #8

This is what I did:





Cut & shaped a little piece of Aluminium, maybe over complicated but I wanted to be able to dismantle it.

 

Last edited: Jul 13, 2017

mortifactor

Well-Known Member

• Jan 7, 2016

• #9

the smallest drop of super glue administered from a pin is how I did mine. Right between the joint. It is easily reversible because super glue is quite weak to shearing (moving the ears side to side). You're already gluing grips etc to it :lol

 

C

Crimsonnaire

Sr Member

• Jan 11, 2016

• #10

Glue undoubtedly gets the job done. However, I personally prefer a Graflex that has a snug rivet where the ring does not swing freely under its own weight at all, but can still be manually moved by hand. This way, it works as a lightsaber replica and also as an adjustable ring in case you ever need to get a blade in between there. Having it glued negates the possibility of adjusting the ring by the bunny ear tabs without snapping the cured glue, although it'd probably still hold snug afterward until it eventually breaks apart.

I recently came across a thread here that walks through the steps to converting a vintage Graflex into an EL hilt and it mentions that, after removing the original rivet in order to take off the ring to allow for the vintage guts to be taken out, you could use a particular screw that fits perfectly and also always holds the ring tighter than the rivet. It says that many who do the EL conversion switch to the screw, eliminating the play. I found the link again:

http://www.fx-sabers.com/forum/index.php?topic=34624.0