Asajj Ventress Resin Lightsaber project

[VeryExciting]

hi everybody, I am embarking on my first real resin kit prop build with a pair of Asajj Ventress Lightsaber hilts (https://www.etsy.com/listing/193341...type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=all) and I have a couple of questions for you masters of prop building.

Can anyone tell me, who has built this prop and/or has access to the Master Replicas version, what that line on the side of the hilt is supposed to be?

If this were a real life weapon is there a functional purpose for it?

I am planning to use hockey stick grip tape for the Black parts of the hilt, would it be better to cut the line off and add it later out of maybe metal so the grip tape runs under it?

Is that idea to use grip tape stupid? I just want to make it look more functional.

Why is the Master Replica version Blue? The saber doesn't appear blue in the Clone Wars micro series or the TV series or any of the other toys.

Ok, that's it right now.

If it's ok I'd like to just update this thread about the project as I go.

Thanks,
Very Exciting

 

[Sym-Cha]

Since I have no knowledge of this particular saber, aside from my action figure on the shelf, I googled and found plentyful pictures of the saber at hand. Master Replicas has been known not to be as accurate as seen on screen hence the blue color might be an artist interpretation. Search for pictures of this particular saber that you like and move on from there. Your grip tape solution sounds like a good plan to proceed ... also adding those lines back on afterwards Do you intend some light and sound fx?

Very exciting project indeed.

Chaim

 

[VeryExciting]

I picked up 2 of the cheap Ultimate FX Darth Vader sabers that i was thinking of gutting for the electronics. I know the LEDs in the blades are not high quality, but, since I'm just starting out I thought it would be a good platform to learn from.

I'll stick with this nice satin metallic paint I found for the silver of the hilt. Here is a good picture of the finished look I'm aiming for...



I will ill update when they arrive.

 

[vidman]

hello and welcome young padawan .

1st off this particular light saber was produced by Hasbro and not Master Replicas. looking at the supplied photos, the estsy seems to have taken the measurements from the hasbro saber , it looks way to big ,
Anyway just a bit of info for you to ponder before buying 3d printed or castings of sabers.

 

[VeryExciting]

Ya, I am almost sure the mould was made from the Hasbro hilt. Again, it's not perfect, but it will be a learning experience. I haven't seen any other 3D printed or cast versions of this saber, but I have to admit I have not looked on here.

The he goal for me is more learning then anything else. I might look back on this discussion and see myself as quite naive in a few months to a year time, but that will be a goal accomplished.

 

[ARKM]

There is a member here (SoloHold) selling CNC machined aluminum versions of the Asajj Ventress saber, specifically designed to accept the same electronics in them that sabersmiths use today. They are much more accurate to the cartoon version.

 

[thd9791]

it may be hard to install electronics in a solid-cast hilt like this - not sure how you'd go about that

But! Resin casts are best washed with dawn soap and hot water...

trimmed - scrape the seam lines off, cut off any excess resin
fill any holes with epoxy putty
Then wet/dry sanded with medium sandpaper
Spray on a good automotive primer
Sand again, this time with medium, light, extra light sandpapers to get that glossy "glass finish and paint will look excellent!

 

[VeryExciting]

Ya, I REALLY don't have $1300 for a cnc'd version, thank you for letting me know they exist though.



I was was just thinking that making a pair screen accurate to the Clone Wars micro series, where Asajj Ventress was first introduced, would be fun, maybe that'll be a future project.

As I said I'm learning as I go. I might find that installing electronics in a resin hilt is stupid, who knows, but trying and learning is the goal. Thank you for that list of tips. I have already purchased the epoxy putty, the sand paper, the primer and the paint. The only thing I lack is the pieces, which are supposed to ship by 1/9/15.

We'll see what happens, thank you for the advice and please keep it coming.

 

[thd9791]

Absolutely, don't hesitate to post photos of your progress!

 

[Darth Lars]

Can anyone tell me, who has built this prop and/or has access to the [Hasbro] version, what that line on the side of the hilt is supposed to be?

Before the Clone Wars animated series, Asajj Ventress appeared in several comic books, figurines and in Genndy Tartakovsky's cartoon series.
The interpretation of the lightsabers (of which both are identical) had been debated back then. I'd like to think that we who debated it on the RPF back then came to some kind of consensus that the handle would consist of metal segments, but that it sometimes was wrapped in leather and that the wrapping can be different in different scenes/books/figures.
If we follow this interpretation, the "line" would be a string of leather.

All interpretations of the lightsaber prior to the animated series have had a circular cross-section. I think that the cross-section in the animated series is smaller in one direction and not square as the toy saber. In a more real-world interpretation of the animated saber, I think it would be more oval, or like a flattened squircle - like a thicker handle of a Japanese sword.
The wrapping around the handle with skin is also consistent with the theme of a Japanese sword. You could also say that the emitter plate in the animated series resembles a tsuba.

In many older renditions, there was a "control segment" between the handle and the emitter, and it had a cutout - but that cutout was always on the top of the saber with the controls inside that cutout - not on the opposite side of the controls as it is in the animated series.

Between the control section and the emitter plate, there have often been discs or short segments like on several prequel lightsabers (such as Adi Gallia's), and the emitter plate has sometimes been drawn conical like the keyhole plates used for many prequel sabers (again, like Adi Gallias, Ki-Adi Mundi's and Qui-Gon's and Obi-Wan's).

The shape of the pommel has also been different in different sources. One common rendition is of a disc, slightly larger in diameter than the handle. Sometimes it has been like a larger handle segment more like Dooku's pommel. Personally, I prefer the disc.

it may be hard to install electronics in a solid-cast hilt like this - not sure how you'd go about that

You could cast some kind of hollow tube inside. Or just have a hollowness that you would install a hollow tube into later.

 

[VeryExciting]

Thank you for all of that! Very helpful. I hadn't thought about comparing it to a Japanese sword, the curved handle giving it a different look and all. More research is definitely needed if I am going to make it "real world."

can one drill into a solid piece of cast resin? Would one, in theory be able to drill into the hilt, being careful of the curve of course, and load in some electrics that way?all more complet with installing switches and what have you?

 

[VeryExciting]

My resin lightsabers came in on Monday. As you can see I really have my work cut out for me.



Any advice at this point would be helpful.

THANKS!

 

[VeryExciting]

Well, it's been awhile... I was a bit discouraged after those casts came in and were so Junky. I started building from scratch, but then I got a new job and I had to stop for awhile, but while talking to a guy here at work yesterday, with the new trailer release and all, I got excited again. I started thinking about how cool it would be to bring a pair of finished Asajj Ventress Sabers to a Midnight opening of Episode VII... and I went ahead and bought a pair of these...

http://www.shapeways.com/product/MC...m_content=3&ca=email&ct=payment-received&cr=3

this guys has a pretty cool collection of stuff and he designed these EXACTLY like the ones I was making from scratch were going, slimmer than the Hasbro, but still square. I found him via his very cool DeviantArt page

http://www.deviantart.com/art/Asajj-Ventress-Lightsabers-120919233

So, not as cool as building from scratch, but I still have all of that stuff sitting in my work area making fun of me for not getting started. I will post more photos as I go.

 

[VeryExciting]

The 3d printed versions came in. They look amazing. I have the exact opposite reaction to these than I did to the others. They look so nice I hope I don't mess them up.

I still don't know what to do about that line. I think I'm just going to cut it off and then get something to replace it with if I feel it needs to be there after the hilt is wrapped. They look so Nice though, I couldn't be happier.