Request for reference, discussion. Prequel and clan sabers.

[Dewy]

I finally had some time to generate a perspective comparison that I can post. Below is an overlay of the hero Obi TPM saber, the Bulgin DX1093 LEDs (red outline) and LED bezels that I scaled to match the hero saber (blue outline). As you can see the Bulgin LEDs are really close but just a little too short. I still believe they are the closest option readily available today.

Measurement source is LEDs I have on hand:

 

[Dewy]

Source image for the posted comparison is from Jedi Vic’s secret pics.

 

[E Williams]

Another good option is the type Filandrius found in this post:

Obi-Wan’s Episode I Lightsaber - Modified Korbanth TPM OWK

Hey everyone! Here's my latest lockdown project: a TPM OWK that I've modified to be as accurate to the screen-used hero prop as possible. The greeblies that came with the kit were pretty much all discarded and replaced with found items (including the fender washer & steel rod in the emitter)...

www.therpf.com

 

[thd9791]

I finally had some time to generate a perspective comparison that I can post. Below is an overlay of the hero Obi TPM saber, the Bulgin DX1093 LEDs (red outline) and LED bezels that I scaled to match the hero saber (blue outline). As you can see the Bulgin LEDs are really close but just a little too short. I still believe they are the closest option readily available today.

View attachment 1556991

Measurement source is LEDs I have on hand:

View attachment 1556992

My gosh, that's close. Those other LEDs that E williams posted are worth getting too. They still have a lip on the side which doesn't match. This is very interesting, I'm thinking these Bulgin ones are super close, we're on the right track. They might actually be the real ones but they had others mixed in.... or there's a version out there that's nearly identical. I don't know what to think yet lol

 

[thd9791]

I'm getting my first exactly correct black lamp covers today! The rubber bezels are destroyed, so I'll be posting that when I get my next package....

These are on panels made by echo LTD or something from england. All black, MOD trash. Cant wait!

 

[thd9791]

Documenting a dismantling of an Ekco control unit. This is one source of the lamp hoods. (click for larger)


Inside....




Here is where our lamps are



drumroll...

Made by Thorn in England, they are not all completely identical. Just a factor of manufacturing at the time. Honestly the only differences are how far the knurls extend over the rim onto the top, which would make the flat area a hair larger or smaller. Lets compare it to the Wemac versions.


Under a Wemac cap... they most likely weren't as stupid as me


Thorn

Wemac



It yielded some amazing hardware


I have proper NEW OLD STOCK ones coming, that include the rubber bezel on Qui-Gon's saber. I'll check those out to see more differences.

 

[thd9791]

A little something for the research part of this thread.

 

[redbutton]

Super cool! Nice work - the fun is in the hunt.

 

[Mandalorian444]

Loving the updates on these, especially the unpacking of unused items from the 60's. Super cool indeed.

 

[thd9791]

Loving the updates on these, especially the unpacking of unused items from the 60's. Super cool indeed.

thanks! I'm glad that got across, this feels very special cracking open old equipment from storage. I'm starting to think they could have used a dremel to shorten the glass section, for a shorter hole in the saber body. They most likely found the big rubber gasket to be too much on the silver sabers and opted for an O-ring like the hydraulic caps

 

[Mandalorian444]

thanks! I'm glad that got across, this feels very special cracking open old equipment from storage. I'm starting to think they could have used a dremel to shorten the glass section, for a shorter hole in the saber body. They most likely found the big rubber gasket to be too much on the silver sabers and opted for an O-ring like the hydraulic caps

Not only that but discovering found parts, for sabers that were thought to have almost none, decades later is really cool.

O-rings definitely fit the aesthetic better imo for these sabers as a whole, but the gasket works perfectly for Qui-Gons. That's the one that's currently surprising me the most, if this really is the same gasket. But it's really neat how many of these little bits you're finding and it's a pleasure to watch this unfold.

 

[eethan]

Hey there,
so I ordered a Bulgin DX1093 red led, because it was in stock on a website I was ordering stuff for my run, and I received it today, sadly, the led itself is red like I feared, not just a reflection fully red. No idea how you guys got transparent ones!

 

[Dewy]

Hey there,
so I ordered a Bulgin DX1093 red led, because it was in stock on a website I was ordering stuff for my run, and I received it today, sadly, the led itself is red like I feared, not just a reflection fully red. No idea how you guys got transparent ones!
View attachment 1562740

Here’s the exact part number I got from Digikey in February. Mine have a clear-ish/white color.

 

[eethan]

thank you for your answer, ok, that is what I was thinking at the time I was asking about the fact that the lights you guys were showing were clear, this is the 3 color version that you are using, it makes sense
cheers

 

[janglesworthy]

here are some flickr pics of Obi's EP3 saber, not as good as the propstore pics though.

 

[thd9791]

...

I actually had no idea there were solid colored ones or three-color ones, I like the look of those. On the props themselves, the glass pokes out to varying lengths, meaning they chopped the display open and the glass sits at whatever depth they drilled into the hilt.

 

[thd9791]

Here is some proof for y'all, of these models I got from the midwest

I agree the new version has a slightly more round LED and a slightly flatter bezel. Still the closest thing today!

I used an ILM pedigree cast to experiment. Its warped up top and the buttons had bad bubbles ...

 

[Mandalorian444]

Wow, those look great. Seeing them in context on a saber is super cool.

 

[thd9791]

I got a little rumor for the rumor mill. It's not private info and not really "confirmed" but memories from people who worked on production. Automotive Acrylic Lacquer was used on the sabers and the black wash was turpentine mixed with black stove polish. Seriously.

 

[Eruonen]

I got a little rumor for the rumor mill. It's not private info and not really "confirmed" but memories from people who worked on production. Automotive Acrylic Lacquer was used on the sabers and the black wash was turpentine mixed with black stove polish. Seriously.

Has anyone ever tested these combos to see what they look like?