Hi from Australia.
In a recent impulse buy I snapped up a genuine Graflex 3 cell flash. The price was right and it is complete and in great condition. So I decided I would have a go at making an ANH Skywalker lightsaber.
According to the write ups I have looked at, the original props may have used metal (not plastic) t track from an old cupboard. I managed to get hold of 2 lengths of original pressed metal t-track from a cupboard that was going to be dumped, to use for this. Just have to work out the best way to attach it and colour it. I'm wanting to go for accuracy but not too full on, it won't be worn or played with, just making it for the fun of it. I have a replica set of calculator bubbles on the way (can't really justify buying genuine at this point, maybe one day if it comes up) and will make my own d-ring since a good likeness is hard to find.
Interestingly my graflex has a slightly different style of button on it, the knurled section is only a ring around the middle, not all the way down the button, yet it is an original button, I guess there would have been variations but has anyone come across this before?
I'm also thinking about doing the internals, no electronics, just for show and to add weight. I would like to get away from the electronic look some have used in the reveal type sabers - after all, this is an ancient weapon for a more civilised age, and was from a long time ago and far far away, so I'm thinking lots of copper, brass, alloy, exposed wiring, the type of thing you'd expect to see inside an old TV (lets face it, nobody really knows what they look like inside as it was never shown in the movie). I don't want to simply copy another design, I will use elements of other ideas but there aren't really any definitive pictures of what it would have looked like. So no chips, no circuits, I want simple, elegant, old world look.
Be gentle, this is my first foray into this kind of thing, I have scratchbuilt lots of stuff before though. I will post pics of the progress as I go. I plan to have a go at some other stuff too if this works ok.
Any advice from the experts out there would be appreciated, plus feel free to throw in any ideas too, every bit of inspiration helps.
In a recent impulse buy I snapped up a genuine Graflex 3 cell flash. The price was right and it is complete and in great condition. So I decided I would have a go at making an ANH Skywalker lightsaber.
According to the write ups I have looked at, the original props may have used metal (not plastic) t track from an old cupboard. I managed to get hold of 2 lengths of original pressed metal t-track from a cupboard that was going to be dumped, to use for this. Just have to work out the best way to attach it and colour it. I'm wanting to go for accuracy but not too full on, it won't be worn or played with, just making it for the fun of it. I have a replica set of calculator bubbles on the way (can't really justify buying genuine at this point, maybe one day if it comes up) and will make my own d-ring since a good likeness is hard to find.
Interestingly my graflex has a slightly different style of button on it, the knurled section is only a ring around the middle, not all the way down the button, yet it is an original button, I guess there would have been variations but has anyone come across this before?
I'm also thinking about doing the internals, no electronics, just for show and to add weight. I would like to get away from the electronic look some have used in the reveal type sabers - after all, this is an ancient weapon for a more civilised age, and was from a long time ago and far far away, so I'm thinking lots of copper, brass, alloy, exposed wiring, the type of thing you'd expect to see inside an old TV (lets face it, nobody really knows what they look like inside as it was never shown in the movie). I don't want to simply copy another design, I will use elements of other ideas but there aren't really any definitive pictures of what it would have looked like. So no chips, no circuits, I want simple, elegant, old world look.
Be gentle, this is my first foray into this kind of thing, I have scratchbuilt lots of stuff before though. I will post pics of the progress as I go. I plan to have a go at some other stuff too if this works ok.
Any advice from the experts out there would be appreciated, plus feel free to throw in any ideas too, every bit of inspiration helps.