Hardware/Replica Chronicles Obi Wan Kenobi Saber

[thd9791]

My dad and I just won an Exactra 23 off ebay! I understand it has the 9 bubble strip instead of 7, but we don't have 50-100 dollars for a real one, felt paying 30 for a copy was a bit much too, and wanted something real instead of another blast-tech strip.

So, it may be a bit smaller, with a couple extra bubbles, but it will be a piece of a calculator from the early 70s, as if the prop dept had picked up this instead of a 19. Vader's had a 19 strip cut down to 4 bubbles, so Im assuming they weren't @nal about it, and neither will we be I'm just excited to have a bubble strip period, for dirt cheap.

That being said..if I do happen across a 19 at a yard sale or something, I'm still open to it haha

 

[Sym-Cha]

Nice score, you may find those bubbles to be a lot smaller though ... as for Vader's MPP activator strip his was cut to 6 bubbles not 4. The MPP clamp is slightly smaller in size then a Graflex clamp otherwise his would have had 7 bubbles as well

-Chaim

 

[Numlockman1]

Looking forward to seeing the end product. Good luck! :thumbsup

 

[thd9791]

Thanks guys!

Ah, so Vaders was just cut down even smaller, makes sense, thank you!

Hm, well it was 5 bucks, so even if it does look really weird, not a big loss.
(we also got some random transistors from the early 70s for barely anything. Probably not the exact same ones, but for us-they're close enough)

Currently I'm planning on exactly how to fit everything together. Still awaiting a booster and some sort of windvane piece. I'm thinking I can use the neck as part of the support throughout.

 

[thd9791]

So, no bubble strip in that one,

picked up a TI-1200 for 89 cents haha, so, lets see (other than bubbles) how it looks, will post pics when it comes in the mail

Picked up a couple of 1/2 inch copper pipe fittings, to cut up and fit to build up the neck
Going to cut open my radial bearing and make the inside...how?

bought my first Dremel too! 2 speed, Dremel 200. and I'm currently testing it out on different things to learn how to use it. it melted through a steel roofing nail (with the sparks! not expecting that!) so, this will make things a LOT easier

Do people know the definite heads for wood, pipe, plastic? I know the ceramic thin brown cut off wheels are for metal, but there are diamond coated wheels and those gold swiss-cheese looking ones. I think the diamond ones can cut grout and cement (great but...) but I'm not sure which are the best for softer things like wood or pvc?

 

[thd9791]

Cut sink pipe for the first time (learned I need gloves and a mask too! It flakes and chips and flies everywhere, not good!) Then I ground down the edge and sanded it, and it came out soo smooth, even though It's not dead straight I've very pleased with myself for my first time. the pipe I cut is a spacer behind the clamp that fits almost snugly with the Grenade body.

The bubbles I got from a TI 1200, they're not half bad actually haha, had to sand those down too. (i'm learning so fast!)

I also cut the top off a steel radial bearing, but didn't cut enough to get the bearings out, that was a firework show to say the least

Edit: not sure if it's like this on others, the TI strip is very brittle and thin plastic, it had a plastic clear cover over the bubbles, like a roof to protect them. It snapped off to revel the clear pearls

 

[thd9791]

So, when I posted in another obi wan thread that I wouldnt've have time until christmas..I lied. I'm home for a few days, and managed to throw together a skeleton of a rake handle (1"), some vinyl flooring i used on a big yellow box saber ages ago, and some electrical tape. I may just glue the washers and transistors on - and take a loong screw from the tap handle into the wood...and from a plug for the emitter, down through the neck, into the wood. It's pretty snug this setup.. watcha think?