Magic of Myth ( MoM ) Luke RotJ Hero ( cave build ) lightsaber research, images, reference, & collaborative model builder's discussion.

That’s the assumption that we’ve been building on. I almost wonder, if when Mark Hamill mashed the control box top he bent it down like that
 
That’s the assumption that we’ve been building on. I almost wonder, if when Mark Hamill mashed the control box top he bent it down like that
You could be right there. I've been thinking about this, and it seems to me that the only difference between the cave build and the ISYHCANLS Build is the T-Track. Is it possible that the LED plate was added specifically for the cave, which left the front/top edge uneven? So they added the T-Track before the L-Angle simply so that the card had a nice smooth channel to slide along?... This brings me to think that ISYHCANLS didn't have the LEDs. Just the black switch block. I'd love to know for sure! Thanks for the reply.
 
I've been dying to know myself.

I'm pretty sure the LED plate lines up with the box rim (aka its flush) one of the newer photos or a B&W image shows inside a little and you can see the seam line.. one sec
 
You could be right there. I've been thinking about this, and it seems to me that the only difference between the cave build and the ISYHCANLS Build is the T-Track. Is it possible that the LED plate was added specifically for the cave, which left the front/top edge uneven? So they added the T-Track before the L-Angle simply so that the card had a nice smooth channel to slide along?... This brings me to think that ISYHCANLS didn't have the LEDs. Just the black switch block. I'd love to know for sure! Thanks for the reply.


Well... the ISYHCANL shot doesnt seem to implicitly show the control box face. So I assume at that time they had simply taken the yuma, repainted it... and added the clamp card and rail right on top of the yuma box without further machining. So, in my mind... It probably didn't have the arrow face at the time (otherwise it seems like they might've made a point to feature it in the close-up Hero shot). Then the box would've been milled out to house the other electronics However keeping the same screwhole position.

(edit* did have black buttons*)
 
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It DID have the buttons, which has always intrigued me.
LUKE_ROTJ_HERO_ISYHCANL_05.jpeg


I can't tell if the plate is there.

the LED plate also apparently isnt as lined up as I thought, but probably not enough to cause the card to get stuck
controlbox.jpg
controlbox1.png


looks like its slightly up and off to the left on that upper corner
 
MOM identities01.jpg

The above shot indicates that the wall behind the plate is VERY thin. whereas the wall around the rest of the milled control box base is consistently around 1/16" or so.

This photo angle however, is what clinched for me that it is definitely flush or at least intended to be
Screen Shot 2019-07-26 at 1.18.43 PM.png
 
I actually wondered if they'd just milled straight out through the front wall. Then bridged the gap with the T rails. Either way, I'm fairly convinced the T rails were added because of the addition of the LED plate. I can imagine the design decision of adding them in the first place being because they'd look cool in the darker setting. Maybe? I'm almost convinced at this point that ISYHCANL only had the black boxes. I actually think that would look pretty cool :)
 
I also want to add I don't believe this box is the Yuma box. We would see a significant recess skinnier than the card. I heard a rumor from someone that I think was around for the Yuma shoots that the yuma boxes might even have been resin. Either way, my Yuma is a close mock-up of the stunt, with very different facial dimensions
fullsizeoutput_13ce.jpeg


I think my lever is a little large :D
 
I almost wanna say that by being able to see the green LED the way we can in this shot, that the box wall was indeed cut away (at least partially) and that the plate is all the grey rails have to rest on.
MOM identities01~3.jpg

Look where the wall of the box curves around that front left corner, and then dies just after the corner is turned and just before we can see the green LED.

Could be that the grey rail is just in the way, it's really hard to tell for sure.
 
I almost wanna say that by being able to see the green LED the way we can in this shot, that the box wall was indeed cut away (at least partially) and that the plate is all the grey rails have to rest on.
View attachment 1042308
Look where the wall of the box curves around that front left corner, and then dies just after the corner is turned and just before we can see the green LED.

Could be that the grey rail is just in the way, it's really hard to tell for sure.
It's either very thin, or not there at all. I'm thinking the latter. If I knew the plate and the TTrack were being used, I'd just mill straight out the front. It's just dawned on me though looking at this image. They HAD to use the TTrack regardless! There isn't enough length in the corner section to go over the card and attach to the box securely (allowing the card to move) It'd only leave the tiniest amount of overhang. Whereas the TTrack can go right up in to the corner.
 
So they added the T-Track before the L-Angle simply so that the card had a nice smooth channel to slide along?..

In all the ISYHCANL shots I've seen the box, esp the top, always looks neater. In particular I struggle to see any T-Track at all. I presume this has been previously noted ?


Thinking out loud, if there were just the L-angle the card would still be able to slide so the T-track was added to increase the hight? or just make it work smoothly? It looks like there is enough depth on the L-angle to me to attach securely in the ISYHCANL shot. Just thinking.
 
They used a lot of super glue back then, as it was new.

I had to use square brass tube, and cut it into the right angle, because the right angle brass has a curved corner.
 
In all the ISYHCANL shots I've seen the box, esp the top, always looks neater. In particular I struggle to see any T-Track at all. I presume this has been previously noted ?


Thinking out loud, if there were just the L-angle the card would still be able to slide so the T-track was added to increase the hight? or just make it work smoothly? It looks like there is enough depth on the L-angle to me to attach securely in the ISYHCANL shot. Just thinking.
There's significantly less though. The addition of the TTrack has the advantage of attaching to the full internal wall, rather than just the left over overhang, after the card. I'm not sure it was a consideration, but brass doesn't play nicely with aluminium either. I'm leaning towards plastic TTrack to avoid contact between the two. I've got a suspicion that that may have been the original material anyway? I'd love to make an idealised ISYHCANL with LED plates, but matching the look of the Shuttle pad scene. I'm sure they would have matched it if they could. I think the TTrack was a compromise for whatever reason.
 
They used a lot of super glue back then, as it was new.

I had to use square brass tube, and cut it into the right angle, because the right angle brass has a curved corner.
I'm lucky enough to have sourced some angled brass with a nice crisp edge. It's 4mm though, which I think is a bit too wide. I'll have to get a file on it I think.
 
All of this has pretty much been covered, here.

The grey rails are ABS, probably Plastruct.

I've bought tons of different sized tees, I beams, H beams, channel, brass angle, brass rectangular and square tubing. I've even bent copper sheet to make copper angle, since it's ridiculously difficult to find any premade.

Mouse, correct, there's no grey rails in the ISYHCANL scene.


EDIT: I just realized this isn't the same thread where I posted all my progress with the rails. I'll have to hunt that thread down and link to my posts there. Sorry about that. Gimme a few.

Hopefully this link will take you to where I began researching/experimenting with all things "control box", but mostly focused on the rails.
 
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forgot about that, thanks for the link. I've been on here ten years now and have found myself forgetting some things I've already seen
 
All of this has pretty much been covered, here.

The grey rails are ABS, probably Plastruct.

I've bought tons of different sized tees, I beams, H beams, channel, brass angle, brass rectangular and square tubing. I've even bent copper sheet to make copper angle, since it's ridiculously difficult to find any premade.

Mouse, correct, there's no grey rails in the ISYHCANL scene.


EDIT: I just realized this isn't the same thread where I posted all my progress with the rails. I'll have to hunt that thread down and link to my posts there. Sorry about that. Gimme a few.

Hopefully this link will take you to where I began researching/experimenting with all things "control box", but mostly focused on the rails.
Apologies if I'm going over old ground. I'm a newbie here and this is my first proper scratch build. I've built plenty of model kits over the years and frequented the RPF. This project has become a bit of an obsession though, so I decided to finally join up. Digging in to the fine details/history now and it's great to have an outlet other than my wife (who will literally divorce me if she hears any more about it!).

Thanks for the link. I'll enjoy taking a look at that. Your Hero build is one of the best I've seen :) It's not as easy as it could be to find specific threads on here I've noticed. Could really do with a few sub categories under "starwars costumes and props" considering the number of threads/projects.
 
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