I must be mentally ill.
Lineage Foundry Cast ANH Kenobi Stunt Hilts
scarf man
Master Member
Mentally ill like a Vulpes. You’ve got the market cornered on accuracy mate!
Ok, quick fun update:
I recently joined a forum exclusively for home foundry casting and have listed my woes there. Essentially, I'm told that everything I'm doing is wrong.
I will be taking the advice of more learned individuals under consideration and will revise my set-up accordingly so that I may get the best casts everytime. I've even ordered metal specifically for this kind of application and a few new instruments to help remedy my frustrations, and then we can have something to finally wrap around our mystery chunks and be proud of!
I recently joined a forum exclusively for home foundry casting and have listed my woes there. Essentially, I'm told that everything I'm doing is wrong.
I will be taking the advice of more learned individuals under consideration and will revise my set-up accordingly so that I may get the best casts everytime. I've even ordered metal specifically for this kind of application and a few new instruments to help remedy my frustrations, and then we can have something to finally wrap around our mystery chunks and be proud of!
I definitely need one of these once you get everything figured out!
Ok, quick fun update:
I recently joined a forum exclusively for home foundry casting and have listed my woes there. Essentially, I'm told that everything I'm doing is wrong.
I will be taking the advice of more learned individuals under consideration and will revise my set-up accordingly so that I may get the best casts everytime. I've even ordered metal specifically for this kind of application and a few new instruments to help remedy my frustrations, and then we can have something to finally wrap around our mystery chunks and be proud of!
Your dedication is incredible. Can’t wait to see the results!
Mouse Vader
Sr Member
PPP what's that forum ? Fancy taking a peak myself. Ta.
Details PM'd.
[mention]PoopaPapaPalps [/mention] have you attempted to recreate the V2 emitter denting on one of your cast hilts? I know there’s still some debate as to whether the V2 was actually made from a casting or machined from round stock. To me, one compelling argument for cast is the extensive denting on the emitter. Assuming it was cast, then presumably they would not have taken the time to do any heat treating as they wouldn’t have cared about mechanical properties. So I’m assuming the raw casting would have been more ductile and had lower yield strength properties than any wrought aluminum. Does this agree with your experience?
On my first cast, which was extremely inaccurate to my current model but all the same, I did everything just to see if I could recreate all the steps; I did dent the emitter on that one. It's really easy to ding and dent cast aluminum. Just with a nail and hand pressure, you could nick it fairly deep. That's not to say this can't be done with wrought or extruded aluminum, but it is very easy for the cast aluminum to marr. Again, that's not to counter thd9791 and say that it is most definitely not machined from stock, stock can be dented very easily once cut down to the V2's dimensions. Anybody with alu replicas from the other members could attest to this; it is not a difficult task.
As for the lower neck on the V2, all those details can easily be cut down on the raw cast, and the V3 for that matter. There's enough material there and the difference isn't all that huge. It's more than enough evidence to convince me that it is a worked down cast. I'll have to machine a V2 and a V3 soon and post pics to compare the two here to make my case. I've mentioned it before earlier in the thread, but I'm convinced the V2 has much of the details that it sports currently most in part due to it being a machined cast. Just cleaning it by eye, machining it down from its off-center kilter, the end result it isn't very far from Starkiller's V2. And that's just doing light passes on the surface and doing plunge cuts on the uneven ring depths after.
Update.
New mold, new materials, new methods: 100% every time, now.
I've already got all the parts I need to complete the first two runs. I'm currently casting 3, maybe 4, more for my reference models; hilts I'll be machining first before the others to implement my measurements and final touches to create the stunt hilts as we know today, and that I may be able to physically reference during my machining of the run hilts.
On that note, I've been having ideas on having on offer a separate emitter, a "stunt" emitter, for the V3 if people want to do a dueling stunt and have one to swing around. Would anyone be interested in that? Would people be interested in having that option or having it come with so they can choose if they want to set a hilt up as current V3 or stunt V3? Between the resin copies made for RotJ and the V3 as it exists today, it most definitely had another emitter at the time (perhaps multiples), and I'm beginning to suspect that the emitter then would've been something similar to the V2's with an extended collar that fits into the lower neck due to the length difference of the break in the neck.
Is this something that people would be interested in? Please, let me know. I'm really raring to get this thing going and things are falling into place quickly for me to just knock these out.
New mold, new materials, new methods: 100% every time, now.
I've already got all the parts I need to complete the first two runs. I'm currently casting 3, maybe 4, more for my reference models; hilts I'll be machining first before the others to implement my measurements and final touches to create the stunt hilts as we know today, and that I may be able to physically reference during my machining of the run hilts.
On that note, I've been having ideas on having on offer a separate emitter, a "stunt" emitter, for the V3 if people want to do a dueling stunt and have one to swing around. Would anyone be interested in that? Would people be interested in having that option or having it come with so they can choose if they want to set a hilt up as current V3 or stunt V3? Between the resin copies made for RotJ and the V3 as it exists today, it most definitely had another emitter at the time (perhaps multiples), and I'm beginning to suspect that the emitter then would've been something similar to the V2's with an extended collar that fits into the lower neck due to the length difference of the break in the neck.
Is this something that people would be interested in? Please, let me know. I'm really raring to get this thing going and things are falling into place quickly for me to just knock these out.
Definitely interested. Great news that things are going smoothly now!
Talked to you recently, and wanted to congratulate you again - these new features to the process are really delivering good results - really well done.
My plan really was to have a blade on one of these myself - both the V2 and the V3 are seen bladed BTS in Empire
V2
V3 - maybe
I assume the attachments for the tang in the handle would be the same?
Also, images like this I think show that the emitter is only drilled out so far. There might not be a donut-shaped nipple... I only see a seam line around the tang (and the original gold paint!)
My plan really was to have a blade on one of these myself - both the V2 and the V3 are seen bladed BTS in Empire
V2
V3 - maybe
I assume the attachments for the tang in the handle would be the same?
Also, images like this I think show that the emitter is only drilled out so far. There might not be a donut-shaped nipple... I only see a seam line around the tang (and the original gold paint!)
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I'll probably omit the emitter "donut" on the reference build of the current V3. Just keep it a shallow hole for that emitter. Taking Halliwax at his word on there not being a nipple for the V3, I'm thinking of just leaving the emitter plate flush for the "stunt" emitter; the tang would just stick out and you'd secure a fencing blade to it.
I'm quite sure the V2 was most likely not pressed into service until RotJ. Between the two photos you posted, thd9791, I think that's just the V3. Emitter looks identical and there's way too much paint on the V2 in the photos of the cut sandstorm sequence compared to that on the V3 at the time. Extant material would suggest to me that's the case.
Dunno if I'll do a full static hilt with the emitter kept unseparated. It's separated now and I believe to have always been like that; it just has a different emitter to then. Tape, and possibly glue at one point, evidence how it would've held together to the rest of the hilt. And looking at the photo from the archives of that one "shorty" blade and tang, it makes me believe the V3 was further along for a motor set-up than initially believed. The tang length on that blade rig is long enough to just go into the clamp section of the resin stunt tabled with it; implying that if it is a blade for the shared stunt, the shared stunts would also have to be hollowed out enough to accommodate that.
I'm quite sure the V2 was most likely not pressed into service until RotJ. Between the two photos you posted, thd9791, I think that's just the V3. Emitter looks identical and there's way too much paint on the V2 in the photos of the cut sandstorm sequence compared to that on the V3 at the time. Extant material would suggest to me that's the case.
Dunno if I'll do a full static hilt with the emitter kept unseparated. It's separated now and I believe to have always been like that; it just has a different emitter to then. Tape, and possibly glue at one point, evidence how it would've held together to the rest of the hilt. And looking at the photo from the archives of that one "shorty" blade and tang, it makes me believe the V3 was further along for a motor set-up than initially believed. The tang length on that blade rig is long enough to just go into the clamp section of the resin stunt tabled with it; implying that if it is a blade for the shared stunt, the shared stunts would also have to be hollowed out enough to accommodate that.
I take my statement back, it's hard to tell, I was just going by the top emitter plate section!
a bladed emitter would have to be situated in the hilt... maybe with the windvane grub screw but I'd expect something more. That's a tough one to figure... but yes If you have extra emitters, don't necessarily melt them all back down
a bladed emitter would have to be situated in the hilt... maybe with the windvane grub screw but I'd expect something more. That's a tough one to figure... but yes If you have extra emitters, don't necessarily melt them all back down
Mouse Vader
Sr Member
That's really nice work PPP.
That recess in the V3 emitter - enough diameter for a bearing ? Depth looks about right. How's the V3's current emitter dim's compared to the V2's current one ?
That recess in the V3 emitter - enough diameter for a bearing ? Depth looks about right. How's the V3's current emitter dim's compared to the V2's current one ?
LOM
Well-Known Member
Beautiful casts PPP! You've done a great job. I love the idea of different types of emitters for these! Could you explain the new process that you're using as well? I'd be really interested in hearing it, the results are great
Does anyone actually know where the V3 'donut' nipple started? I only recall seeing that used on AS builders kits by chopping the V2 nipple to get the right depth(?).. Never seen that anywhere else. The emitter recess is the perfect size for a bearing Mouse Vader, +/-20mm diameter if I recall and it matches Jon Bunker's emitter layout as well! (one bearing no nipple)
Keep it up PPP! Looking forward to seeing these blanks get machined!
Does anyone actually know where the V3 'donut' nipple started? I only recall seeing that used on AS builders kits by chopping the V2 nipple to get the right depth(?).. Never seen that anywhere else. The emitter recess is the perfect size for a bearing Mouse Vader, +/-20mm diameter if I recall and it matches Jon Bunker's emitter layout as well! (one bearing no nipple)
Keep it up PPP! Looking forward to seeing these blanks get machined!
I had the emitter donut from early drafts of my designs some pages back, assuming that may be it. Now, I'm less keen on the idea and will be omitting it. Dunno if there ever was a positive start to the "donut" idea, though.
I'd love to compare notes one day between your measurements on the V3 and my own from these blanks, LOM, because I too get ~20mm (2cm) for the V3's current emitter hole diameter. There are some bearings that might fit it but 8x20x...mm bearings aren't readily found (not for me, anyway) nor their empirical (huh-huh) equivalents. 8x22x... are easily found but those are more suited for the V2's as the emitter hole for the nipple is ~22mm. It'd be nice to know but I honestly can't venture to say if it was always there or machined later though, although a part of me thinks that extended blade/collar plug on the b/w photo of Mark Hamill in the Endor exterior shot would fit this emitter but I've yet to take measurements of that to compare.
In my experience however, I find the bearing in the emitter of my motorised stunt to be a bit redundant. It may help in easing friction on the d/s but I don't think it much, but on a static V3, I think it would be useless.
I'll try and make it as understandable as I can (and brief) but thanks to some wonderful input by some specialists off-site, my improvements were only in two areas:
1) Melt Temperature - Optimal pour temp. of Al for this application is 700 to 750 C, any higher and you get what I got: shrinkage. This was rectified with a pyrometer.
2) Flask/Mold Orientation - I feel like a dunce for not figuring it sooner but long, cylindrical shaped things should be poured vertically, not horizontally. Simple as that. My ingates would also act as feeders, gravity pulling the material down between the riser and gate.
I solved the first issue and to accommodate the second, I had to make a new flask where one end could be locked with a pin to keep the flask rigid to pack the sand adequately, and when I needed to pour, they could swivel open with removal of said pin, without disrupting the sand, and I could just pour it into my gates. I have to prep the sand each time when I pack it to have a little gap at the spot where the corners of the top swivel open so not to loosen my packed sand and have it potentially all fall out when sat upright.
Here's a closer look (the ropes are to help me both open the swivel tops and to separate the halves when molding):
I've also switched from hardware store stock alu (extruded) to a356 casting alu, as pure as I can get anyway, for better machining and casting properties. It's the same metals used in alu casting engine blocks and rims. To be frank, though, I've not seen much a difference in the casts between the two metals but the upside is that for what two trips to the hardware store would get me to make 4 or 5 hilts, at the same cost, I now have 43 lbs of material in good sized ingots. So more than enough to suit my needs right now.
I still de-gas and flux each pour despite the bump in metal quality/purity just to ensure that each cast comes out with as few blemishes as possible.
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