Dewy and Anakin Starkiller's Accurate Qui-Gon Jinn Lightsaber Design

[Jedifather]

Already have Starkiller’s Maul. Definitely in for an Obi-Wan. Gotta complete the set. I’ll be in for one.
Wouldn’t mind getting 1 or 2 of those panel lamps, too. Just to have.

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

Delrin is just for these reproductions. The original heroes are made with cast resin that was painted black.

Delrin will allow us to achieve a dimensional accuracy to the originals that is far more precise than a resin cast piece would be. If we tried to have a master machined and the cast, those castings would shrink and warp in ways particular to their own production conditions and would produce a replica that dimensionally departs from the original we are trying to replicate. I've done the resin casting route, I've done the delrin route. The resin worked good for the Maul, since it was such a large order, since the resin parts did not have to fit inside any metal pieces, and since there really was no particular hero Maul to replicate--just a variety of different castings that were used as belt hangers at different points in filming. But, for the Qui-gon, we have a very particular model that we're copying--as we did with the OWK saber--and so this seems like it will be our best bet for achieving the ultimate in fidelity to the original prop.

 

[Gregatron]

Delrin will allow us to achieve a dimensional accuracy to the originals that is far more precise than a resin cast piece would be. If we tried to have a master machined and the cast, those castings would shrink and warp in ways particular to their own production conditions and would produce a replica that dimensionally departs from the original we are trying to replicate. I've done the resin casting route, I've done the delrin route. The resin worked good for the Maul, since it was such a large order, since the resin parts did not have to fit inside any metal pieces, and since there really was no particular hero Maul to replicate--just a variety of different castings that were used as belt hangers at different points in filming. But, for the Qui-gon, we have a very particular model that we're copying--as we did with the OWK saber--and so this seems like it will be our best bet for achieving the ultimate in fidelity to the original prop.

Logical, as always.

I've had a hankering for both the Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon sabers since 1999, but have held out all this time for just the right ones. Looks like my patience has paid off. The Maul hilt is fantastic, and now we'll be able to complete the set.

 

[DRambo87]

After receiving my prototype Obi TPM saber, it became apparent that something was missing:

View attachment 1607325

For those of you following the Obi-Wan Kenobi TPM thread, you may have noticed a couple teasers posted, but in parallel to the design of that saber Anakin Starkiller and I have been working on Qui-Gon Jinn’s lightsaber.

A couple major highlights:

• Similar to the Obi saber, we have been very fortunate to obtain a similar collection of non-publicly available high resolution images of the hero prop.
• Will feature as many quirks and asymmetries of the original hero prop as possible
• Goal is to match Starkiller’s Maul saber and our in-progress Obi TPM saber, will be 100% static replica made from as authentic materials as possible (machined aluminum, Delrin, and steel).

Speaking of authentic materials, each replica will include a 100% authentic aircraft panel lamp gasket under the red button just like the original prop:

View attachment 1607348

Without further ado:

View attachment 1607334
Overlay to hero prop:
View attachment 1607336

This model is still very much a work in progress. In some ways this saber has been even more challenging than the Obi TPM saber. This saber features some more organic shapes and curvatures that can be challenging to parametrically model. Similar to the Obi TPM saber, there are a combination of features that were originally manufactured into the saber, and features that are a result of (I believe) the saber being “spruced up” for certain shots during filming. For example, the feature in the image below was almost certainly not on the prop when originally made for filming as none of the resin stunt sabers have these features:

View attachment 1607343

Some more of the intricate details:

View attachment 1607345

Pommel:
View attachment 1607346

Emitter details:
View attachment 1607347


Again, this model is still very much a work in progress, but we're at the point where open discussion and more sets of eyes are needed. I will post some more model pictures later. In the meantime, I wanted to ask the community what details and features are important to them? From what I've shown above is there anything that looks off to you?

So far, all looks dead on:-D Do you have an estimated timeframe you're thinking as to when this will be a real deal and sign up for orders?? Obviously we're still waiting on the buttons for the Obi, so I get if this is a rushed question lol.

 

[Dewy]

So far, all looks dead on:-D Do you have an estimated timeframe you're thinking as to when this will be a real deal and sign up for orders?? Obviously we're still waiting on the buttons for the Obi, so I get if this is a rushed question lol.

I can’t really comment on timing. I know both Anakin Starkiller and myself have been very busy with real life lately. The grip section of my model is finished from an exterior/cosmetic perspective. I have a list of tweaks I need to make to the silver shroud, based on the last round of scaling I did from the reference images. Once those tweaks are are implemented, I need to finalize the manufacturing and assembly features that will allow this thing to actually be built.

 

[Dewy]

Speaking of assembly, I have been playing around with different assembly options.

The simplest solution would be to just have the red button thread into the black grip section, and to have the emitter parts threaded onto the M10 rod, which is then threaded directly into the black grip section (which would have an M10 threaded hole). The problem with this is the blanking cap really doesn't have a lot of thread length to engage. Additionally, I wanted this saber to have a decent length of threaded rod to give it some proper heft, but the depth of the hole is impractical to tap for threads.

The alternative I was thinking was to have an aluminum "anchor" part that would be inserted below the red button. This would give the M10 threaded rod something solid to engage and would allow the red button the stuck out properly to match the hero prop. This anchor would then be covered by the black rubber hood that sits under the red button. Here's a quick visualization I mocked up:

This is probably overkill, and just one possible idea I played around with. I am interested to get other people's thoughts on assembly. I'm guessing for the original prop, the threaded rod was cast directly into the black resin section. I also think the red button was stuck on with epoxy or some equally sloppy method which is why the prop makers covered it up with the rubber hood from the aviation panel lamps.

 

[DRambo87]

I can’t really comment on timing. I know both Anakin Starkiller and myself have been very busy with real life lately. The grip section of my model is finished from an exterior/cosmetic perspective. I have a list of tweaks I need to make to the silver shroud, based on the last round of scaling I did from the reference images. Once those tweaks are are implemented, I need to finalize the manufacturing and assembly features that will allow this thing to actually be built.

Of course, you both have your priorities! Just excited about your work on this and the Obi!! Very much looking forward to adding them!! Yeah, getting the engineering side down for assembly is always the toughest part.

 

[thd9791]

Speaking of assembly, I have been playing around with different assembly options.

The simplest solution would be to just have the red button thread into the black grip section, and to have the emitter parts threaded onto the M10 rod, which is then threaded directly into the black grip section (which would have an M10 threaded hole). The problem with this is the blanking cap really doesn't have a lot of thread length to engage. Additionally, I wanted this saber to have a decent length of threaded rod to give it some proper heft, but the depth of the hole is impractical to tap for threads.

The alternative I was thinking was to have an aluminum "anchor" part that would be inserted below the red button. This would give the M10 threaded rod something solid to engage and would allow the red button the stuck out properly to match the hero prop. This anchor would then be covered by the black rubber hood that sits under the red button. Here's a quick visualization I mocked up:

View attachment 1636025
This is probably overkill, and just one possible idea I played around with. I am interested to get other people's thoughts on assembly. I'm guessing for the original prop, the threaded rod was cast directly into the black resin section. I also think the red button was stuck on with epoxy or some equally sloppy method which is why the prop makers covered it up with the rubber hood from the aviation panel lamps.

This is full of very good points, I suppose I never thought about that threaded rod… maybe that it was tapped into the resin at the base but if it’s all one piece.. yes I suppose casting it in place is a good theory!

If tapping Delrin for the button is not that reliable, the aluminum anchor might be a great idea. As for the main rod, if there’s threading at both ends of the saber an empty hole for it to slide through wouldn’t be the end of the world. I mean.. yea an extra point to thread it into would be nice

I don’t have much personal preference now that I think about it, other than your idea of having a decent amount of threaded rod for heft and structural support

Edit: I just re read the post and realized with the grip grooves there’s no way a threaded rod went through the whole thing. Having some sort of threading at both ends of a rod, even short, is usually a bit more safe and secure

 

[itstheguy]

Gotta have this one too I suppose.

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

Finally got the knurling down! "A" it is!!!!

 

[Eruonen]

 

[Halliwax]

View attachment 1648608

Finally got the knurling down! "A" it is!!!!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.. you are the man!!

 

[Filandrius]

 

[itstheguy]

Curious to know how these will compare to another offering currently on market.

 

[Eruonen]

This one is static, with the intent to be accurate to the construction of the hero prop. I believe all the other offerings are made to be FX-able.

 

[Filandrius]

It’ll also be about 10 thousand times more accurate than anything out there, if you don’t mind me saying.

 

[itstheguy]

This one is static, with the intent to be accurate to the construction of the hero prop. I believe all the other offerings are made to be FX-able.

Well said, thank you.

 

[Halliwax]

It’ll also be about 10 thousand times more accurate than anything out there, if you don’t mind me saying.

Exactly! This will be THE ONE to own

 

[DRambo87]

SAweeeett!!!

 

[Dewy]

So now that things have been slowing down at work for the holidays, I have been diving back into the QGJ saber model. One of the things that has bugged me for several months was the overall size/length of the saber. I had always assumed that the Obi TPM and QGJ sabers were relatively similar in overall length. After several years of obsessing over the Obi TPM saber I am confident that the overall length of that hero prop is ~286mm. However, my QGJ saber model keeps coming out to ~300mm. This overlays with the high-resolution reference photos of the hero prop really well, but seemed too large to me.

To help ease my mind, I went back to the only reference I am aware of that features the hero Obi TPM and QGJ sabers in roughly the same orientation side by side:

I took a screenshot and drew some rough perspective lines:

This is certainly not scientific, but this helped convince me that the QGJ was longer than the Obi TPM. In-fact they might even reference that in the video when they mention that Liam is taller.

As I mentioned before my 3D model at ~300mm was lining up with the high res hero shots really well, but I still wanted to do an independent verification if I could. I normally don't like to do any scaling from the resin stunt props as who knows how much shrinkage/warpage exists in the castings, but in this case I felt it was warranted purely as a sanity check. In the image below I approximated two measurements from the stunt saber:

1. From the left edge of the ruler to the vertex of the ellipse of the emitter end of the saber = 294mm
2. I then found the vertex of the ellipse at the pommel end of the saber and estimated from scaling that the saber is ~5mm beyond the edge of the ruler. This means that, by my crude estimates, the overall length of this particular resin stunt is ~299mm.

Now, I'm fully aware that this doesn't truly account for perspective, distortion, etc., this is just a sanity check. So to complete this check I did a quick overlay:

I definitely could have done a better job matching the exact perspective and rotation/orientation of the saber, but seeing as this is just a resin stunt saber I didn't want to spend too much time on it. That being said, I'm pretty darn happy with the results.

I'm going to do more sanity checks, but it is looking like the overall length of this replica will be ~300mm. Does anyone have an MR LE or CE they could take some measurements from for comparison?