Interest ROTJ Hand Made Scope Fronts & more

[thd9791]

I wanted to see who would be interested in these... I am in a position where I can make more than I need and why not share it!

You'll see how quick it is here:
ROTJ Fabricated Scopes - page 2

If people would like, I can make these. I have
1) molds for those scope caps (might as well make a new one)
2) a big box of those film canisters (close enough and easier to come by)
3) brass rod leftover, for the washer
4) lots of vintage or new screws. I've hand-cut that cross hatch pattern MANY times doing mystery chunks and these screws

And I'll trim the film canisters to an exact length

Hell I can even mold and cast my 7/8 scope if people want. You need a 1/16 spacer for the scope ring and I might have more aluminum... do people want full scopes? Now that I'm typing this that seems very manageable

Let me know!

 

[OdiWan72]

Interested in 2 or 3 of these

 

[starbuc]

Interested in at least 1.

 

[DarthWilder]

I would also be interested in 2 or three. Thank you for offering these pieces.

 

[jonis]

Im interested in a full scope if possible

 

[thd9791]

awesome guys

I'm going to make these as kits, so all you model makers can adjust them to your liking. I just found some plastic tubing I had lying around and I can cast my scope bell with 2 flanges - one for the scope ring and one for the cap (has to be thicker to get it to sit higher.)

I'm going to start this project on my own to see if it works (I have very little doubt it will go wrong) and then when I have samples on hand I can start the run. I don't want to take anyone's money until I have something in hand to show and sell. Subscribe to this thread!

Also, this is a little over-kill, but there is nothing on this scope that is made by someone else. I carve the brass to shape, I carve the screws, and I'll be casting my own scope knobs and scope bell. The film canisters.. well, technically an old factory made those too, and the scope parts but point being, I'm excited because for once this is all me. I don't do runs very often because a lot of my projects are with other's help

 

[thd9791]

Update folks - I got the film canisters in and I have good news

They're not the same as the ones I started with. They are flatter on top. They don't have a dimple but I can easily buzz a dimple in with a dremel if you guys would like. dimple on the prop is around 1/8"

They are more accurate to the prop being thinner plastic. What this does is it makes the bottom a little weaker in the center - so the tip tips back a few degrees. It took me a few shots to get it to show up, but I am anal about stuff like this, it is not very noticeable

I tested one out by trimming it and putting the original tip on. Score marks are for a quick mock up too, so they're rougher than the run will be - this will be the prototype for when I cast the black parts and make the brass parts

I think they look better than the first one.

Next when I get the brass in the mail and the resin and screws, I'll start making the tips! For these, I'm going to take them all in my workshop and use better tools to cut them smoothly and score them with a metal ruler

 

[thd9791]

So, I guess the real ones do tip inwards. These are in different states of abuse


The nice thing is my caps are thicker than these, which are less than 1mm. Mine are 1 or 2mm so this should minimize the tilt. Like I said, you really have to squint for this but I like being open

 

[mgoob]

I'd be interested in about 4 or 5.

 

[thd9791]

Since these are a bit thinner, if theres room I thought it would be great to put a nut in the cap. Here are vintage zinc plated or brass nuts for you guys!

 

[thd9791]

 

[mgoob]

That certainly looks like the original prop part - well done!

 

[thd9791]

Thanks everyone!

Quick update - I have all the caps drilled, scored and trimmed. I want to polish up the edges more - This old plastic shreds when cut with fast tools, so I hacksawed each one. Dremel sanding drum in the drill press like a buffing wheel.. but some of the fibers still would not release so I used an X-acto on them

I made good rectangular solid molds for the caps - including a bump for a drill tip. I'm casting up some this afternoon in onyx resin to see how they come out.

unfortunately I got a bad batch of silicone, and it wouldn't properly mix. This morning I was met with a big cylinder of sloppy sticky silicone with the real scope bell stuck inside. Needless to say - it was hell. Water makes it worse. My girlfriend helped me scrub it with alcohol and a toothbrush and that saved everything. Washed my hands with shampoo too, little tip there. I'm ordering more (need more resin anyway) and I'll try it again with a smaller mold and make sure the silicone mixes before I pour. First time that's happened to me!

THIS is why I'm not taking any orders yet! At least I have full confidence I can get the fronts made. Machining brass washers and carving steel is something I'm very good at

 

[thd9791]

Okay guys I'm excited for this.

For whatever reason it's a 120 to 100 ratio for onyx resin by weight (im using a scale and tarring between pours, its what they do in screen printing shops for ink) and I was shy and only made 3 clay based molds. I have old molds I'm throwing extra resin in... it's working out wonderfully

Please ignore the cornstarch, they're not washed yet!

 

[thd9791]

 

[redbutton]

very cool and well casted!

 

[thd9791]

Thanks! I got 5 more canisters in the mail today. Making great headway on things. Casts cleaned up nice with a new tool I have, a mini miter saw

The screws are looking good. I didn't go as hard into them because I was doing 10-20 instead of one. However, they really do look the part. If people want the grooves deeper let me know

the cuts are all a little off and wonky, trying to a) be like the real props and b) be honest. When something is off at this scale it's less than 1 mm and I'm not a CNC machine!




Next is the Brass... whenever that gets here. It cleared chinese customs today. I also found these brass bushings that already have a hole, going to see if I can get more of those instead

 

[Slave1]

I'd definitely be interested in one!

 

[thd9791]

Great- here's where I stand today. I need another afternoon of soft material work and then when I get ahold of brass I'll make bushings for all of these