New thoughts on the Obi ANH 'Reflector'

[TridCloudwalker]

Howard, is there any chance of getting a shot of it from behind? I'm curious to see how it integrates into the bottom of the balance pipe. Looks really cool and pretty close to the pictures. Maybe not 100%. Andres brings up some good points about the inner ring thicknesses and such. But your theory makes the best sense so far.

 

[Howard]

Those of you who are enthusiastic about this idea–can you explain to me in similar detail why you think Chris' idea doesn't work?

It's very late here and I'll address all of these points in the morning.
But, for the time being, I'm eager to see comparison photos with Chris's idea, compared to and perhaps disproving my pics above.
Oh - and I did state earlier that the front face would need to be cut down a few mm to match the face seen in the screen caps.

Off to be I must go!

 

[Howard]

Hi guys.

I've just measured the back of the cut down bearing.
The diameter of the hole at the rear (where Russ lathed down the hexagonal nut, there's a very slight wider opening) is 9.2mm.
That bears out our Andres' neck hole measurement.
The hole diameter inside before the wider opening is 8.8mm.

To address Andres' points:

1. Once the front face is lathed back by a couple of mm, the flat front face will be wider, thus making the hole (at the front) smaller.
2. I see the 'Blob' as natural weathering, as seen in the pics of the cut down bearing above. I don't see an actual raised 'blob.'
3. It's difficult to tell the circumference of the hole on the prop.

I've been watching the scene where the saber falls onto Obi's cloak over and over again, and it seems to me the light and dark stripes seen inside the emitter (cone) do not change. Therefore they seem to be permanent markings rather than reflecting the cloak.

I'll have more pics early next week, once Russ performs a few tweaks.

 

[Master Jedi TJ]

:love

 

[TV8]

Very tidy work, thanks again guys for your dedication.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Howard, and new news?

 

[Howard]

Hi James.
I hope to have something to show before christmas. :thumbsup

 

[TridCloudwalker]

Are you going to concentrate purely on this and get it tackled before work starts on the booster and pommel, or are they all in continual various stages of development?

Also, did you ever get a photo of your mock up from the back? I'm curious to see how well it integrates with the bottom of the emitter.

 

[Howard]

The booster and pommel will be easy.
Russ has my original handwheel. My main concern is matching the chrome colour to the original when producing the replicas.
I'll send him my Serafino booster to copy also at some stage.
A few tweaks (internal) will be needed for a perfect fit between the booster and the pommel.

The adaptor piece will be worked on once the grenades are finished.
This will be a fairly simple affair, and I hope to have a proto finished by the middle of this month.
There's no real point in showing a picture of the rear of the piece at this time. It simply sits back inside the emitter.

Are you going to concentrate purely on this and get it tackled before work starts on the booster and pommel, or are they all in continual various stages of development?

Also, did you ever get a photo of your mock up from the back? I'm curious to see how well it integrates with the bottom of the emitter.

 

[TridCloudwalker]

TMy main concern is matching the chrome colour to the original when producing the replicas.

But chrome is chrome, isn't it? Whether it's electroplated aluminum or vaccu-plated plastic, it's still going to be chrome. Why are you concerned the repros wont match the original?

If needed or wanted, I could show your handwheel around the city here. I'm in York, PA where Harley Davidsons are made. We have more custom chrome platers out here than pizza joints. Someone will be able to match the color.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Just bumping this to be a bug in Howards already busy bonnett.

 

[Howard]

Hi James, Russ will have my design for the connecting piece by the end of the week.
We're going to ship the connectors with the grenades.

 

[russrep]

:love Nice 1 mate..

Russ

 

[ssdesigner]

I'll send him my Serafino booster to copy also at some stage.
A few tweaks (internal) will be needed for a perfect fit between the booster and the pommel.

Can you expand upon this a bit for us Howard? For those of us with the already uber-sweet Serafino booster, will we be able to use it with the new pommel?

-Ss

 

[Howard]

Can you expand upon this a bit for us Howard? For those of us with the already uber-sweet Serafino booster, will we be able to use it with the new pommel?

-Ss

Hi Scott,

My mint handwheel has raised ribs inside, which prevent a perfect fit with my Serafino and original booster.
My idea is to make the replica handwheel's internal diameter a tad smaller so a Serafino booster (and the booster Russ will produce, which is a direct replica of Serafino's) and the booster Russ produces will fit together.
It's the handwheel that's causing the problem.
If the original prop builder had a mint handwheel he'd no doubt reduce the internal diameter of that, rather than the booster, as the handwheel's plastic and therefore easier to work with.

 

[Serafino]

I think Howard means very slightly enlarge the I.D. of the handwheel in comparison to his own so it fits the dimension of my and the forthcoming boosters?

 

[Howard]

Yes, sorry Andres - that's what I mean.
Not thinking straight at the moment - got a trapped nerve in my right shoulder and it's killing me - broke my collar bone as a kid and it always plays up when we hit the cold and wet weather.

 

[TridCloudwalker]

Sounds good to me. I seriously hope we don't get people moaning about the inner diameter of the handwheel being tweeked. Being metal instead of plastic, it's already an idealized part of sorts. Anyone who wants total 100% inner and outer accuracy on a handwheel is better off buying a plastic original or reissue. Those who want quality metal versions that look perfectly accurate on the outside will have Russ, Howard, and Andres to hook them up.

Looking forward to it, guys!

Back on topic though, how's the reflector coming along? Have you locked the design down yet?

 

[Serafino]

TCW--naming calls.

Seriously, the fit issue has to do with vertical ribs which would be very expensive to machine and will not be done, so it's really a non-issue.

 

[Onigiri]

HAPPY DANCE.
My emitter is already shipping with my grenade so now Ill be getting teh connector at teh sam etime...WOOT! Already have a clamp so then Ill just need teh booster and handwheel!

Hi James, Russ will have my design for the connecting piece by the end of the week.
We're going to ship the connectors with the grenades.