Need Help With Graflex Clamp on Small Lightsaber

[SirJediKnightTim]

I bought a ROTJ Luke V2 lightsaber. The diameter of the lightsaber is a little small for the gravlex clamp. You can see the space between the saber and the clamp very easily. I would like to fix that somehow. Any advice on how to fix it? Other than just glue? But I may have no choice.

 

[Interceptor6]

Can you slide a piece of thin foam between the two to take up the gap?

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Did you tighten the clamp down more or is it maxed out ?

 

[SirJediKnightTim]

It is maxed out. Even when I take out the board and go further. I am not sure the best way to go with it.

 

[Robiwon]

Did you bend up or cut off the tabs on the clamp that are pointing inward?

 

[Sym-Cha]

Hi Tim,

I had the same problem and fixed it with a thin piece of black leather, cut a little smaller in size (lenghtwise) then the clamp, that way it's not or hardly visible. With leather you can also make good use of the inner tabs that Robiwon is talking about. This really works like a charm!

Also be very careful with your clamp-lever it can break/snap very easily at maximum strenght. Better to loosen it up and if needed add one more layer of leather to attach the clamp nice and firmly.

-Chaim

 

[SirJediKnightTim]

Yep, the tabs are gone.

Did you bend up or cut off the tabs on the clamp that are pointing inward?

 

[SirJediKnightTim]

That is a pretty good idea. I was also thinkin of JB Weld, instead of glue.

Hi Tim,

I had the same problem and fixed it with a thin piece of black leather, cut a little smaller in size (lenghtwise) then the clamp that way it's not or hardly visible. With leather you can also make good use of the inner tabs that Robiwon is talking about. This really works like a charm!

Also be very careful with your clamp-lever it can break/snap very easily at maximum strenght. Better to loosen it up and if needed add one more layer of leather to attach the clamp nice and firmly.

-Chaim

 

[Sym-Cha]

Well Tim,

Even without the tabs it still works fine with leather.

And as an added bonus this methode could have been
used in the Star Wars Universe by the Jedi, think about
the leather on Mace Windu's lightsaber and some others :lol

-Chaim

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

When Tom Buckley did his run of graflex replicas a while back, his first stab at graflex clamps were a little undersize. It sounds like one of those would be perfect for you. You might see if anyone has an extra on hand in the junkyard. I'll see if I have one kicking around somewhere.

Dan

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Are you using a real one or a replica ?

Recently I was using a replica that was not formed correctly. The upper clamp part was not bent sharply and the side bars were too small- the whole thing was a mess. I had to beat and bend on it to get it close properly. I've seen a lot of replica clamp but I was not sure who made this one.

 

[SirJediKnightTim]

OH, that would be perfect!! And we live in the same town too :love

Let me know. Thanks!

I have been home weathering it all day. I have used to making everything pristine, so this is something new for me.

When Tom Buckley did his run of graflex replicas a while back, his first stab at graflex clamps were a little undersize. It sounds like one of those would be perfect for you. You might see if anyone has an extra on hand in the junkyard. I'll see if I have one kicking around somewhere.

Dan

 

[SirJediKnightTim]

Still looking for a smaller graflex clamp.

 

[Cenobyte]

I would not use JB weld as you might need to take it apart sometime in the future for some reason. Chaim has the right idea as black leather should not show too much and it is great to use for a filler.

 

[TridCloudwalker]

All you need to do is get some aluminum tape from the hardware store and wrap it around the saber a couple times (or apply it right to the inside of the clamp like i did and cut away the material around the holes). It blends right in, and get the clamp nice and snug. You can't even tell it's there.

 

[Tan Djarka]

Seriously, no one? Duct tape! I've used it to keep hardware clamps from slipping on smooth tubes, and once to mount a 1 1/2" clamp on a 1 3/8" tube. It's not as elegant a solution as the aluminum tape but it's thicker, therefore requiring a little less, and costs less to boot.

 

[TridCloudwalker]

Seriously, no one? Duct tape! I've used it to keep hardware clamps from slipping on smooth tubes, and once to mount a 1 1/2" clamp on a 1 3/8" tube. It's not as elegant a solution as the aluminum tape but it's thicker, therefore requiring a little less, and costs less to boot.

Well in my defense, the aluminum tape is for ducts. What we know as duct tape, was actually developed in the 1940s for military use. Aluminum tape was originally called duct tape, because that is what it was and is still used for. It's actually illegal to seal ducts with the fabric duct tape. But somehow or another, everyone just started calling it duct tape and the name stuck...like tape.

So I did in fact suggest using duct tape...just not the kind you're suggesting.

This minor history lesson and ribbing is all meant in fun. Yours is a very good suggestion too if one doesn't want to drop $7 on a teeny roll of adhesive aluminum.

 

[Jamanticus]

Seriously, no one? Duct tape!

So uncivilized... :lol

I'm kidding

 

[Sym-Cha]

Hi all,

Duct tape would be acceptable within the Star Wars Universe,
since we all know Princess Leia's boobs were taped in with duct
tape in ANH . . . although I doubt it was the aluminum type :lol

-Chaim

 

[KaanE]

Hi all,

Duct tape would be acceptable within the Star Wars Universe,
since we all know Princess Leia's boobs were taped in with duct
tape in ANH . . . although I doubt it was the aluminum type :lol

-Chaim

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! Removing Duct Tape from skin hurts!