Graflex 2.0 Sabers - Show your work / Talk Electronics

[Fett 4 Real]

Oh yeh I get it...Ive been doing commissions for people for some time now...and Ive seen others do work that Id send back....and I dont send anything out I wouldnt want to receive myself....but theres always someone whos unhappy whether it be shipping problems uncontrollable by me etc...

 

[jcroscigno]

The problem with eBay is it's going to get flooded real fast and the hype will die and you'll be stuck selling something you love for not a lot of money. Also, you have to think that anything you make someone else is going to be criticizing. Any flaw, lack of attention to detail and it will be all over the internet. You need to be sure your work can stand for itself otherwise it causes HUGE headaches. I'm absolutely NOT criticizing anyone's work here because I have never seen it, I'm simply stating a fact. The internet can be a real ****ty place and it sucks when someone thinks something you put a lot of time and effort into is complete crap and they feel they got "ripped off". Sometimes (a lot of the time lol) I really hate this planet.

I also would worry about the idea that I know how to fix it if something goes wrong, but couldn't expect whoever bought it to. I know that my particular install is fragile. Looks great on the shelf, works fine to show it off, but I wouldn't trust it if I handed it off to someone who was expecting a black series saber. It might be more my paranoia than anything else, but I couldn't think of selling unless someone knew exactly what they were getting.

 

[cjchiu]

Behold.... shine through glass eye retention screw... bwahahahahaaa...

Drill press? Did you have to remove the glass part?

 

[mikid]

Yea, I want mine to have a see through Glass eye also....I have a drill press!

 

[H0llyw00d]

Drill press? Did you have to remove the glass part?

Pretty sure the guys used a lathe. Don't know how though. Tried to do it without removing the eye but it got damaged in the process. The Graphlex Shop is sending a replacement for $10 shipped.

 

[mikid]

So is this whom you got it from the Graphlex Guys?....

 

[H0llyw00d]

So is this whom you got it from the Graphlex Guys?....

Got the glass eye from TGS but had a mechanical engineering client drill the hole to make it shine through.

 

[H0llyw00d]

I also would worry about the idea that I know how to fix it if something goes wrong, but couldn't expect whoever bought it to. I know that my particular install is fragile. Looks great on the shelf, works fine to show it off, but I wouldn't trust it if I handed it off to someone who was expecting a black series saber. It might be more my paranoia than anything else, but I couldn't think of selling unless someone knew exactly what they were getting.

How is yours fragile? My kids have been dueling with converted MR Force FX sabers for a year with no issues except a red button falling out. And the 2.0 seems more robust and has less plastic on it than the FX sabers. I fully intend to duel with mine and weather it the old fashioned way... through battle :devil

 

[jcroscigno]

How is yours fragile? My kids have been dueling with converted MR Force FX sabers for a year with no issues except a red button falling out. And the 2.0 seems more robust and has less plastic on it than the FX sabers. I fully intend to duel with mine and weather it the old fashioned way... through battle :devil

Well, at least on mine, where the LED module sits doesn't allow the blade to be held in with much strength by the glass eye screw - I suppose I could improve that by using the hex screw above it instead

My main concern is with the buttons and wiring. I already had an issue where the metal from the red button housing was shorting the switch for activation. I've fixed it, but at the end of the day, I have no interest in dueling with it anyway. I'll always have fears that something will get knocked loose, or the crystal will break off and smash into the speaker, or something along those lines.

For me, it's a very good (not perfect) replica that has some neat bonus features, but is mostly for sitting on the shelf and looking nice.

 

[H0llyw00d]

Well, at least on mine, where the LED module sits doesn't allow the blade to be held in with much strength by the glass eye screw - I suppose I could improve that by using the hex screw above it instead

My main concern is with the buttons and wiring. I already had an issue where the metal from the red button housing was shorting the switch for activation. I've fixed it, but at the end of the day, I have no interest in dueling with it anyway. I'll always have fears that something will get knocked loose, or the crystal will break off and smash into the speaker, or something along those lines.

For me, it's a very good (not perfect) replica that has some neat bonus features, but is mostly for sitting on the shelf and looking nice.

Dude, thanks for the heads up on the blade retention and red button issues. Looks like using the bubble strip for activation and having both red button and glass eye act as blade retention screws will be a godsend. Infested with too many younglings to have a shelf-sitting saber laying around... they must be beaten

 

[juajn7fernandez]

No electronics yet. Still waiting on the blade plug but I made a placeholder. Here is a list of the things I've done to the kit so far:

- Replaced the activation card with one from Wannawanga.com
- Red button and Glass eye from TheGraflexShop
- The glass eye kept falling from the housing so I epoxied it with dark epoxy glue.
- Added textured tape to the clamp Thanks to the awesome @tomm1999
- Added a makeshift blade plug to resemble the graflex style while I wait on the blade plug that is being made for the run on this forum
- And my favorite part; I covered the bottom holes using an original 2cell Graflex bottom. Just cut out the bottom end cap and used the D-ring housing to keep it in place via screws.

 

[tomm1999]

I put the bottom of a 2 cell I cut out on to the bottom of the Korbanth screw cap to cover the holes and to make it look more genuine. It didn't sit right so I have to do some more filing, I will post pics when I am done.

Epoxy for what?

 

[tomm1999]

H0llyw00d Im glad you figured something out, not only hasnt my order shipped yet but I never got a response asking to add an extra eye. That looks great. Both the glass eyes I have from TGS the glass part comes right off.

 

[cjchiu]

I've got a 2 cell bottom that I'm gonna use a cap to my 2.0. Where is everyone cutting their bottoms?

 

[H0llyw00d]

@H0llyw00d Im glad you figured something out, not only hasnt my order shipped yet but I never got a response asking to add an extra eye. That looks great. Both the glass eyes I have from TGS the glass part comes right off.

Thanks again for being willing to add a V1 glass eye to your Parks order for me, man. When I think about the patience necessary while waiting on Park's stuff I keep thinking "Control... you must learn CONTROL!" :rolleyes

I'm actually psyched about the shine-through blade retention screw. When I saw how much light comes through with this guy's vintage glass eye on a 2.0...



I thought it might be a little bit TOO much light.

And you're right, upon inspection the glue that holds in these TGS glass eyes appears to be rubber cement. It was going to have to come out and something better used to make the saber battle-ready anyhow. If I had known that I would have just pried it out and saved myself $10. Oh well, live and learn.

Anybody have a suggestion on what glue to use? Would CA glue haze up the inside of the eye and look like crap? I kind of like what Juajn did and may use a light even coat of JB weld. It would look black until the blue shines through.

 

[LM1]

disregard...

 

[Yubnub]

Anybody have a suggestion on what glue to use? Would CA glue haze up the inside of the eye and look like crap? I kind of like what Juajn did and may use a light even coat of JB weld. It would look black until the blue shines through.

Any clear Epoxy should do the job... Araldite will be fine. Get both surfaces nice and clean and use sparingly to avoid too much squeeze out.

 

[juajn7fernandez]

Yubnub couldnt be more right. I thought I used just a bit but I had a lot of quick cleaning before it dried. A small drop will do the trick for sure.

 

[jcroscigno]

Pretty sure the guys used a lathe. Don't know how though. Tried to do it without removing the eye but it got damaged in the process. The Graphlex Shop is sending a replacement for $10 shipped.

TGS shipping is way too high in my opinion. The eye is great, but it hurt seeing $10 shipping.
I think these 11mm cabochons would work just fine as replacements with much cheaper shipping. http://www.beadaholique.com/p-15892-clear-czech-glass-cabochon-round-crystal-magnify-11mm-4.aspx

- - - Updated - - -

Yubnub couldnt be more right. I thought I used just a bit but I had a lot of quick cleaning before it dried. A small drop will do the trick for sure.

I actually used clear nail polish for mine. The cabochon fell off while I was shortening the threads to hold the blade plug better

 

[Yubnub]

I think these 11mm cabochons would work just fine as replacements with much cheaper shipping. http://www.beadaholique.com/p-15892-clear-czech-glass-cabochon-round-crystal-magnify-11mm-4.aspx

oh man... i searched for ages looking for something like that! Stumped up for two TGS versions in the end.

Did you order any of those glass beads?