New idea to display sabers (show your novel displays too!)

[cayman shen]

I have an idea to display PT lightsabers. Let me hear your reaction:

First, I don't have the shelf/floor space to display sabers in MR style cases. I've always figured putting them in some kind of wall case was my best bet.

But how? I couldn't see cutting a bunch of cradles to display them horizontally. The cutting, measuring, bah. Who wants it?

So I hit on this idea: remove the covertech clips from the sabers and, using the now exposed threaded hole, screw the sabers straight into the display case. Easy to measure, super secure, and a unique vertical display that I've never seen done before that gives the same look as the sabers hanging on the belts.

Seems to me this would work spiffy. I'd never do it on a really expensive MR prop, but on a fan-made saber where I wouldn't feel like I was ruining it by unscrewing the knob? Why not?

What do you think? Anyone else got an unusual method of display?

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

I have an idea to display PT lightsabers. Let me hear your reaction:

First, I don't have the shelf/floor space to display sabers in MR style cases. I've always figured putting them in some kind of wall case was my best bet.

But how? I couldn't see cutting a bunch of cradles to display them horizontally. The cutting, measuring, bah. Who wants it?

So I hit on this idea: remove the covertech clips from the sabers and, using the now exposed threaded hole, screw the sabers straight into the display case. Easy to measure, super secure, and a unique vertical display that I've never seen done before that gives the same look as the sabers hanging on the belts.

Seems to me this would work spiffy. I'd never do it on a really expensive MR prop, but on a fan-made saber where I wouldn't feel like I was ruining it by unscrewing the knob? Why not?

What do you think? Anyone else got an unusual method of display?

You could also get a few covertec beltclips and mount them to a plate or, even better, make a fake jedi belt piece and clip them in. No need to remove the covertec knob.

Or even easier and cheaper would be to drill holes of covertec size into a thin piece of wood, hang the saber into that hole and secure it from the back of the wooden sheet/back of the cabinet/whatever with a thin steelthread.

Loads of solutions I guess, without the need to touch the covertec knob on the prop.

Michael

 

[Hecubus114]

I considered displaying all my sabers in a way that would show where they ultimately ended up in the SW universe... for example: OBW ANH would be stting on top of a jedi robe, like how it landed when he dissapeared. Luke ESB and Vader ROTJ would have their severed hands gripping them. Maul's 2 halves and OBW TPM sabers sitting next to each other on a mock up "nabooish" looking platform. Of course I didnt come up with one for EVERY saber yet, but the idea sounded pretty fun to me...

 

[Hez]

Sounds good, I've always planned on eventually displaying my sabers on the wall. I prefer the idea of hanging the sabers on the covertec clips themselves though. I'm sure it would be easy enough to rig up some kind of mock Jedi belt on the wall and attach the clips to that.

 

[cayman shen]

I'd thought of doing that awhile back, but I had two objections:

1. All those clips would cost a fortune. I want 8 sabers. That's at least 90 bucks, likely more, in clips. Screws, what, 2 dollars?

2. When I imagine stratching a belt across the top of a display and hanging 25 pounds of sabers from it, I can't see how the belt wouldn't sag and bend, which would look horrible.

Other than those objections, it would look nice. Maybe a nice brown cloth background to look like jedi robes. Heck, I might use that as the background even with my screw-in idea.

 

[PHArchivist]

GADdammit...!

Not what I was hoping for in this thread... :angry

 

[Tan Djarka]

It's not a bad idea per se... But for me, it wouldn't work. From time to time I have the obsessive need to pick up and handle my sabers. Permanently attaching them to the display wouldn't work. Even the Icons/MR style cases would be a problem for me.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Here's mine that I built. It doesn't cost a lot either. I would suggest not using halogen lights though. I'm going to replace these with LEDs ASAP.

Plans, which you could adjust to fit your space.

 

[cayman shen]

That looks pretty sharp! And yeah, I have a need to play with my sabers too (insert joke here), but maybe I'd just have to make it a special treat, a day of disconnecting the little beauties to fool around with before wiping off the fingerprints and sticking them back on the wall.

 

[Tan Djarka]

...insert joke here...

That's what she said last night! But seriously...

The sabers I have on display is in constant flux as I build new and better versions of some of them, so constantly removing and mounting sabers would be a nightmare too.

I've been thinking about some sort of shadow box display, backed with SILVER peg board (for that high tech look), and using black plastic covered peg hook "cradles" I saw recently. A resettable modular approach of sorts.

 

[Hez]

2. When I imagine stratching a belt across the top of a display and hanging 25 pounds of sabers from it, I can't see how the belt wouldn't sag and bend, which would look horrible.

I thought of that, and it could be taken care of. If you were to permanently attach the belt to a surface (say a piece of wood which you then fixed to the wall) there should be no sag. Smearing any kind of two part epoxy all over the back of the belt should keep it pretty solidly fixed in place, and you can always put a few small nails in it for piece of mind should the glue fail and drop all your precious sabers in a heap on the floor.

As to the cost...well, there's nothing that can be done about that. For me, I'd be happy to make the outlay just so I didn't have to spend five minutes removing it from the wall just to play with it.

 

[cayman shen]

As to the cost...well, there's nothing that can be done about that. For me, I'd be happy to make the outlay just so I didn't have to spend five minutes removing it from the wall just to play with it.

Yeah, the playing with it factor is hard to deny. I wonder if a covertech shaped "slot" could be made of something so you could just pop open the cabinet and slip the saber out without kicking in for all the clips.

OT, after selling all my MR, I've decided to focus on fan made replicas. They may often be less nice finish-wise, but I got so stressed about keeping my overpriced collectibles pristine that I was scared to handle them. It's no fun having something that you're constantly worried about. For 100-150 I can get some nice fan sabers and if I scuff it, who cares? Scuffing an MR would make me nauseous!

 

[Howard]

My Luke ANH saber has been hanging vertically for a number of years now - from a lantern holder.
I'll post pics later...

 

[dropshipbob]

I thought of that, and it could be taken care of. If you were to permanently attach the belt to a surface (say a piece of wood which you then fixed to the wall) there should be no sag. Smearing any kind of two part epoxy all over the back of the belt should keep it pretty solidly fixed in place, and you can always put a few small nails in it for piece of mind should the glue fail and drop all your precious sabers in a heap on the floor.

As to the cost...well, there's nothing that can be done about that. For me, I'd be happy to make the outlay just so I didn't have to spend five minutes removing it from the wall just to play with it.

I can't remember who, but someone did just this to display an Obi-Wan saber awhile back. They had the belt with a pouch, some of those food pellet containers and a bit of fabric behind all of this that matched his tunic.
It was very well done.

 

[Hez]

Yeah, the playing with it factor is hard to deny. I wonder if a covertech shaped "slot" could be made of something so you could just pop open the cabinet and slip the saber out without kicking in for all the clips.

How about this...take a piece of acrylic plastic that's about 1/16" or 1/8" thick (I forget the size of the covertecs), and cut a strip about 1" wide from it. Dremel some U shaped cutouts into it to hang the sabers from.

Now drill some holes through the plastic and into the surface that will be behind it, where you plan to display the sabers. When you screw the plastic to the wall/wooden board, put a couple of spacers between the plastic and the wood on every screw to give enough space for the covertecs to slide into place. Bingo, a solid, cheap wall hanger display for your sabers.

The only thing to make sure of is that the U shape cutouts are deep enough that an accidental knock won't send your sabers to the floor.

 

[Sumatra]

I have a book shelf that I use for 5 of my PT sabers. I used two of Pastor Jedi's 3-tier saber stands. The top tier has a maul going across both stands and then a Ki-Adi Mundi and Adi Gallia on the right stand and a Qui-Gon and (when I get it) an Obi-Wan on the left stand. Without the Maul you gould get 6 sabers on there.

Like this but with 3-tier stands now.

Also, I remember SSDesigner (I think) had made an acrylic case where the covertec clips hung on the back wall of the case.

 

[cayman shen]

Whose Mundi saber is that? It's gorgeous! (an affrodable, accurate Mundi is my Holy Grail!)

 

[Sumatra]

Not sure. The guy I got it from wasn't sure. If I had to make a guess I'd say it's probably a Jedi135. The only thing I would like to upgrade on it is the brass knob. This one is more of a round plate; very thin. I have a thumbscrew that I may use, but I don't know how to get the current one off without scratching the saber. It's epoxied on pretty good.

 

[cayman shen]

So many Mundis I see are too skinny, or they have a really small emitter section. That one's pretty sharp!