ROTJ - Darth Vader lightsaber from a real Graflex

[Lichtbringer]

As with my ANH-Obi build i first want to say that i´m no lightsaberguy, i´m sure i will miss or frakk up the one or the other detail. So, please chime in and correct me when you see me making any mistakes.



Some time ago, when i started collecting pieces for my ANH-sabers, i got my hands on some parts for a ROTJ-Vader. I believe it is a set that was sold some years ago by Ob1kenny.

And while not having a suiting Graflex (worn, but not to damaged) at that time, i nonetheless started preparing the parts, to be ready when i get such a Graflex.

I had a piece of Alutube with a perfect matching dia to go over the Graflex body. It was milled (to generate the slots that are visible under the controlbox), drilled and tapped.

That way i´ve got a sturdy fit with 2 bolts at the Graflex halves, while it still was able to look right when the controlbox was bolted on with a third screw, covering the 2 bolts that hold everything together.

I like it.

 

[thd9791]

Nice work!

EDIT: and great graflex you found, a lot of them are so rusty nowadays

 

[Lichtbringer]

Thanks.

From that Graflex i made my ANH-Luke - on the above pics it was only used as a testbed for the Vader parts.

 

[thd9791]

Great! I have one that looks just like that! found a pristine one in CA and bought stuff from Blast-Tech.

I was kinda blown away by how hefty and significant one of those flashguns really is. Photos don't do them justice

 

[Lichtbringer]

Aye, they are really great looking stuff - much better than MPP, Heiland, Kobold, or what else is out there. :cool

 

[skynet]

Nice! Got an old kit from elvistrooper back in the day but I never had the time to finish a saber with it.

Most people hate that saber, some say it's ROTJ, some say it's a mocked up stunt saber, some say that the ROTJ hero was the same as in ESB...anyway this is my favorite saber version. It's beat up, it's made out of many different parts, it looks used - resembles the spirit of SW at it's best.

I've spent a fortune all these years collecting flashtubes, I have 14 or 15 of them stored in a box in slightly oily paper to prevent them from rust...none of them is converted into a saber yet. :$

 

[Sym-Cha]

Nice work in progress ...

... alas the part seen above . . . is not the correct screen-used door latch.

It should be the more
square version (brass
double ball door latch)
as seen here :

This is the only vendor in the UK which I could find googling right now who seems to sell them :

http://www.screwmaster.co.uk/brass-double-ball-catch-50mm-cupboard-door-latch-62-p.asp

however it is quite a newer version : the edges are not rounded
nor are the screw holes round, but you could fix that quite easily
with your metal skills



-Chaim

 

[Lichtbringer]

Nice! Got an old kit from elvistrooper back in the day but I never had the time to finish a saber with it.

Most people hate that saber, some say it's ROTJ, some say it's a mocked up stunt saber, some say that the ROTJ hero was the same as in ESB...anyway this is my favorite saber version. It's beat up, it's made out of many different parts, it looks used - resembles the spirit of SW at it's best.

I've spent a fortune all these years collecting flashtubes, I have 14 or 15 of them stored in a box in slightly oily paper to prevent them from rust...none of them is converted into a saber yet. :$

You should start with one, one step a time.

Otherwise some day in the future someone is cleaning the stuff in your house, and a box of "old useless stuff" wents to the trash. :eek


I´m not a huge fan of this saber, but i like it cause it´s so "different".
But, i have to admit ... it was no easy decision between the crude MOM pattern, and the sanitized version of the screws. :confused

 

[Lichtbringer]

Nice work in progress ...

... alas the part seen above . . . is not the correct screen-used door latch.

It should be the more
square version (brass
double ball door latch)
as seen here :

Thanks. I know, the above is the latch that came with the parts.

And up to now i havn´t found the correct one - nor it´s proper dimensions. :cry

This is the only vendor in the UK which I could find googling right now who seems to sell them :

Brass Double Ball Catch 50mm cupboard door latch

however it is quite a newer version : the edges are not rounded
nor are the screw holes round, but you could fix that quite easily
with your metal skills



-Chaim

Not sure if i found the same vendor or just a similar latch when i was searching, but unfortunatly it is not a very good replacement.

The base needs to be much wider, i assume it has to be around 1/2", to cover the bolt under it:

I can make a replacement part with measurements from the pics, if i have to do - but i would prefer to have real measurements from a real part (or better ... the real part itself ).

 

[Lichtbringer]

As you can see in my above post, ive made some progress since i´ve made the old pics from my first post.

The last week i received a "not really nice"-Graflex that i´ve bought from Kurty for sale thread, to worse for a ANH or ESB Luke, but perfect for this one - so i was in a position to start.

After disassembling it i first heatet the metal latches from the bulb release pin, to ensure they will not break when bending it. They didn´t break, but at their base they had some bend marks which i don´t trusted - so i used some solder to make them a little bit sturdier, and filed the recess flat.

Then i decided to stay away from the original "black bulb plug", cause i´ve never read anything about how the washer and the metal pin was secured, it seems that everyone has his own guesses how to do it. My way was to take some Delrin and lathe + mill, to fabricate a new part where i could thread the parts on top.

Where the glasseye was, the movie saber had some kind of tire valve upside down - if that is the true part. In the kit was some stuff to replace it, but i will make me a part that fits this M6 thread.

My reference pics show no Graflex pins in one hole

And one on the other side

I think the upper part looks nice, even after the decision to use the irregular hole pattern of the MOM saber.

But the lower tube is in such a nice condition, i´m not sure if i will use it - maybe i will hunt for a more weathered/aged tube before drilling holes under the t-track.

According to the nice condition ..... i´m not completly convinced that really a real lower tube was used. There would have been no need to cover the Graflex inscriptin with a disc as we can see on the MOM-pics, so they maybe used a tube with endcap (the same way as some early builds were made from fans).

Well, i ordered a new batch of t-track from Mary - i can always choose to put this lower cell away for a ESB-Luke.

OK pals, now you are informed where i´m actually atm.

 

[BTTFfan88]

This project seems to be going very nicely. I haven't seen that many ROTJ Vader sabers out there. I can't wait to see more!

 

[Sym-Cha]

I'm not quite confident that your shroud top-screw should be in a brass colour. As you can see here in the pictures of this old thread it's more rusty then real brass in colour :

http://www.therpf.com/f9/more-details-vader-rotj-saber-please-archive-165/index15.html

See post 356 and 357 which also contain good pictures of the much needed correct door latch

-Chaim

 

[Lichtbringer]

Good point - i will try another one.

 

[Thoth]

Wow, nice work!

 

[lonepigeon]

Looking good!

The original ball catch has a simple stamped metal shell (nickel plated steel).
I got mine years ago from a replica prop dealer that is no longer around.
I don't know if there are any current dealers.

 

[Sym-Cha]

As you can clearly see here the shroud top-screw is also diamond knurled too :

-Chaim

 

[Lichtbringer]

Wow, nice work!

Thanks.

 

[Lichtbringer]

Looking good!

The original ball catch has a simple stamped metal shell (nickel plated steel).
I got mine years ago from a replica prop dealer that is no longer around.
I don't know if there are any current dealers.

Wow, thanks - from your side it´s a esspecially big compliment. :$

Thanks for the info, i´m searching for something close since a long time - without any success.

But there is always hope.

 

[Lichtbringer]

As you can clearly see here the shroud top-screw is also diamond knurled too

I checked my part boxes - no diamond knurled was found. :cry

 

[OdiWan72]

Hey Michael

You´re catching up bro :thumbsup

Funny that you started the MoM ROTJ saber, since I also took Kenny´s kit out of the box just a few days before carnival :lol
I didn´t want to start another/ work on any current blaster so I got sidetracked by the saber. I also have the MPP based ROTJ saber in the work atm!

Can´t wait to see your progress on this!

btw:
What template did you use for the countersunk holes?
I have a sanitised an a screenaccurate template for the hole placement, but I don´t know if it´s the latest version.

PLUS...is there any template in existance for all the smaller holes in the rear tube???

Markus