Imperial insignia disks- anyone else catch this?

[James Kenobi 1138]

From the new Star Wars Insider: (page 57)

John Mollo:

"The metal insignia used on the Imperial Officers' cap and belt buckles was an aluminum pulley which was part of a record turntable mechanism, which we bought in bulk and used exactly as they were".

Probably old news, I suspected they were pulleys but I figured they were either automotive or aircraft, on industrial machine.

I wonder which turntable they were, or were they from a repair-type supply company?

 

[Mike Rush]

I assumed it was old news - I remember reading that in a Starburst magazine in 1981.

Mr Mollo also mentioned it during his interview at Celebration: Europe this year. (He even went so far as to describe the little notch in them.) I think he said they came from a repair shop which had stockpiles of them.

 

[SgtFang]

Cool! Anyone found the make and model yet?

-Sarge

 

[micdavis]

Coolness. Had not heard this.

I think I prefer Kenny's home made ones anyway.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

I read that today, but figured it was probably common knowledge. I haven't paid any attention to anything dealing with that prop so I wouldn't know.

 

[mgoob]

New news here in NY.

Would be great to get one for exact measurements, but how many turntables exist? A google or a sagan?

 

[defstartrooper]

hadn't heard it before either i'm off to pull me old mans record deck to bits :lol

 

[kurtyboy]

There have been a few of us hunting for these things. I remember Killdozer did a lot of research!

 

[Snake]

My brother works in the radio industry and has owned and still owns a few turntables. I will send him a picture and see if he can identify the turntable it comes from. No guarantees, but it is worth a try.

I also have bought several of Kenny’s disks and have compared them to the ones on my SDS Tie Pilot and they are dead on. He (Kenny) does great work!

 

[Star Wars Helmets]

I thought that was old news. I remember Mollo told me they got "Arney", one of the costuming guys at Elstree, to raid some local music store for all kind of stuff they could use. One of thee thingshe came back with was a box full of these turntable pulleys

Cheers

Jez

 

[womo68]

kinda looks like the spacers you'd stick in the middle of a 45.


womo

 

[micdavis]

It's obviously some kind of pulley wheel.

Hmm..record player.

3 steps.

33,45,78.

Not really rocket science.

A place to start looking anyway.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

I wonder if the notch was for a set screw to tighten down on the shaft ?

 

[Vaderman]

Anyone have a pic? Is this the "standard" imperial cog? Maybe the same turntable that Threepio's eyes are from...

 

[switchblade_slinger]

I always thought they were model train wheels.

 

[mgoob]

While this turntable bit seems very plausible, there's another quote in that magazine that says he used a 35mm projector to build Luke's Macrobinoculars.:confused

 

[micdavis]

While this turntable bit seems very plausible, there's another quote in that magazine that says he used a 35mm projector to build Luke's Macrobinoculars.:confused

Agreed. Bob May, the guy who was inside the Lost In Space robot during the whole run of the show, tells stories that just can't be true.

The actors and crew are not always right.

 

[Killdozer]

My 2¢, for what it's worth...

I don't think the turntable idea holds much water... I think belt drive pulleys would be too small, and the top level of the imperial disk isn't grooved like the bottom two... but then, there were only two speed standards in the 1970s.

Just thinking out loud.

KD

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Well, turntables come in 2 styles:

Direct Drive (for DJ's)

and Belt Drive.

It's possible the same pulley was used on both 33rpm and 45rpm-only turntables with the belt in a different slot.

From a manufacturing standpoint, why make 2 different size pulleys for 2 different machines when you can make one that will work in both?

 

[SgtFang]

Who makes the most accurate fan versions? Can we get some pics on a neutral background with a ruler for scale?

I'm going to send them out to some vintage audio equipment/ repair guys in the UK.

-Sarge