Indeed, the alignment of the cubes on the unibody doesn't match the existing reference, as if the pommel was installed incorrectly compared to the screen-used prop.
For mine I compromised and installed the chunk using the knob as reference, despite the logic of the incorrect aligment which would place it differently. The aligment compared to the knob is just more noticeable, IMHO.
Due the the way the pommel was attached on the original saber, it is free to rotate. It's held in place with a side set screw. You are correct that the unibody pommel cubes do not replicate the way the pommel was aligned on the Celebration photos. I chose to have the pommel match up with how the saber looked during filming on Mark's belt, during the Ewok village scenes, since that's when it gets the most belt screen time.
I'm taking the coward's way out and will just glue it on... can always change it round at a later dare. Variety is the spice of life after all...
Finally getting around to this (I moved to a new place last month and getting my apartment all set up took precedence).
Here's my work in progress:
View attachment 719407
I still need to take some paint thinner to the nipple on the end of the blade holder. Also the pommel is too clean. I haven't done anything to the clamp yet, which is why it still gleams as new. I wanted to wait to do that because I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to do with it. Now I think I'll hand work some black into it. Just enough to dull it down some.
I'm also on the fence about gaffers tape. I know it's more accurate, but originally I wasn't going to do it because I thought it looked too cheap to me, but now I'm not sure I like it without it. I go back and forth on that.
But for a work in progress, I'm happy with how it's going so far. It doesn't show well in the photo, but the booster and emitter are not that shiny in real life. They actually dulled down nicely when I was prepping it.
Quick question: how do most of you secure the clamp in place? I know mine isn't oriented right in the picture, that's because it's loose enough that it can still rotate on the body. Do you just use glue to lock it into place?
As you can see in post #177 above, I used the "mill out small pockets" trick for the clamp tabs (mainly because I used a genuine Graflex clamp and didn't want to dremel out the tabs) It works really really well in keeping the clamp in the right spot.
As you can see in post #177 above, I used the "mill out small pockets" trick for the clamp tabs (mainly because I used a genuine Graflex clamp and didn't want to dremel out the tabs) It works really really well in keeping the clamp in the right spot.
I used a Dremel with a cutting disc. I "marked" the blank with the clamp by scratching it with the tabs, then milled them out. Tweaked them until the clamp fit perfectly.I was it aware of this?! How did I miss it?! Any chance u can tell me what bit you used to make the pockets for the clamp tabs to sit in?
I used a Dremel with a cutting disc. I "marked" the blank with the clamp by scratching it with the tabs, then milled them out. Tweaked them until the clamp fit perfectly.