Luke ROTJ brass vs copper

thd9791

thd9791

Master Member
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Hey everyone, has anyone done a run of Luke Hero or Yuma sabers in brass? It seems to be the concensus when we discuss this, and matches the idea of replicating the MK3 grenade neck, but everyone does them in copper it feels like.

Also, if anyone has any proof either way, please post it! I'm on the fence.
 
As far as I know, all the Yuma stunts (one of which was prettied up to be the "Hero") were done with necks painted brass. The copper is only ever present on the modern day "shared stunt" and I think everyone either confused it with the Hero or just figured that the Hero was supposed to be copper too. Though, of all the replicas I've seen presently, many of them sport the brass neck.
 
I believe the consensus is that the neck of the original Luke ROTJ Hero and the Yuma props had painted necks. The paint was not entirely coppery red but tinted more towards gold. But it was definitely not as yellow as brass.

In this picture from Lucasfilm's archive (Original Prop Blog) the lightsaber prop closest to the Boba Fett blaster was not spotted in the movie, but it has a shiny redder neck than the painted Hero which is closer to the camera -- so I find it probable that it was made of actual copper and that the painted neck therefore was supposed to resemble copper. The shared stunt (which definitely has a copper-painted neck) is on the right.
Rare-LFL-Lucasfilm-Archives-Movie-Prop-Lost-Photos-Star-Wars-Indiana-Jones-Historic-Visit-Origin.jpg

I think that the best finish with real metal would be achieved with copper that has been sand-blasted to take the shine off the metal.
Although I have seen a suggestion that necks should be made of a kind of bronze instead -- but bronze could have any hue between copper-red and brass-yellow.
 
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thats a picture I've never seen before! look at that hero in the back with no box, what one is that!?
 
Personally, I've never cared for the RotJ "Hero" saber, I find it terribly ugly. But, if we're talking real world metal finishes, I think an aged brass neck would be the right way to go. The yellow-brown finish would be spot on to what the original looked like.
 
Look at all those wonderful toys! That bench is my goal. I spotted the E11 in the back. Thanks for sharing this.
 
Sorry to post again but wow. Did you guys look at the link. I will be studying these photos for weeks. Thank you
 
Yep you're right!

My questions are
1) why would the team make the shared stunt copper if the new Yumas were brass?

2) can we use Icons and MR as logic puzzles to work backward? If they used a color, then they saw the color in the archives?

3) this part seemed to be less yellow but also less brown, does anyone have software that can tag a color we know, like lukes tunic and figure out the shade of the saber? Is that a thing?
 
I always thought ILM just pained the neck with some shade of gold paint.

For the original ANH shared stunt, for the motorized spinning head/neck I've often wondered if the cast aluminum was replaced with copper fittings for the mechanical effect. Or just painted to look like the grenade. Either way the ROTJ Hero was made to look like the Shared stunt.
 
I'm picturing these images. Credit to whoever originally posted them - please let me know and I can tag you
295313_416642015054072_1353643102_n.jpg
LFA_LukeHeroEmitter.jpg
LFA_LukeHerofull.jpg

Are those strips color codes for the saber? My girlfriend is a designer and loves pulling paint swatches from Lowes, and this just occured to me...or its packing tape on the table cloth. I hope its not. :lol

ROTJYuma.jpg
Yumacut.jpg
tumblr_lhar5la5Cf1qedqfdo1_400.jpgScott Juarez?
 
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Question regarding the Yuma saber...

At the time of ROTJ the blades themselves were still regular aluminum poles correct?

What is the speculation regarding what the aluminum cube is on the control box that was later replaced by black activation buttons on the "Endor AT-AT dock" insert shot?

It appears to just be a simple aluminum rectangle to me.

This is my next saber project.
 
ALLEY said:
Question regarding the Yuma saber...

At the time of ROTJ the blades themselves were still regular aluminum poles correct?

What is the speculation regarding what the aluminum cube is on the control box that was later replaced by black activation buttons on the "Endor AT-AT dock" insert shot?

It appears to just be a simple aluminum rectangle to me.

This is my next saber project.
Click to expand...

It looks like it was a rectangular box, with a depression in the middle (like it would accept a card) and two bolts or screws. There was a fake "lever" on the side but I've never seen an image with a good view, only a view over the edge to confirm something is there.

Screen Shot 2016-06-12 at 4.29.14 PM.png

and yes the poles were aluminum, though im not sure if the bodies were painted silver, in some shots the emitter matches the pole but the body seems lighter..
 
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I personally feel a polished bronze, which is somewhere between copper and brass in color, is most accurate.

And before anyone says, "but bronze is too dark," realize that most things we see nowadays in bronze from Wal-Mart, Lowe's, or Pier One is antiqued bronze, darkened to give it a sophisticated aged/vintage look. Polished bronze is only a bit darker than brass.
 
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