Sail barge saber in March 2017 WIRED magazine?
- Thread starter The 48th Ronin
- Start date
It could be the type of paint they used. I have a "metallic" red paint that's of similar "sparkly-ness".
Mr Mold Maker
Master Member
I am by no means an expert but I paint quite a lot.. Here is what I'm seeing.
The whole casting has pin holes and is very pitted throughout, but it is especially visible in the neck and emitter.
I'd wager that they sprayed it black, dry brushed it silver, and went over that with (let's assume for now) a brass tone. Some of the sparkle you're seeing could very well be from the metal flake in the paint, but I'd guess it's the contrast of the three colors at various depths on the surface of the piece. Areas where the brass has rubbed off partially or completely show lighter or silver tones, and most of the black speckling I'd wager are pinholes or other deeper areas that were filled with black and not brass or silver. I'd point you towards the emitter as an example of what I mean as the effect without the brass is really quite visible on its own even without the brass.
This next idea I am not 100% sure of, but looking at the photo, it looks to me like a candy (transparent) yellow was used instead of a straight up metallic brass paint. If you put a candy over a silver like that you could indeed get a nice brass tone and I'm seeing a bit of translucency there. Just bumping up the saturation a little really makes it pop out to me as being a candy over the base silver... but this is all just my opinion.
View attachment IMG_0663.JPG
It would be difficult to paint this accurately if it was perfectly smooth. You'd almost have to introduce moisture to the mold and hope for similar casting defects to happen to finish it correctly.
The whole casting has pin holes and is very pitted throughout, but it is especially visible in the neck and emitter.
I'd wager that they sprayed it black, dry brushed it silver, and went over that with (let's assume for now) a brass tone. Some of the sparkle you're seeing could very well be from the metal flake in the paint, but I'd guess it's the contrast of the three colors at various depths on the surface of the piece. Areas where the brass has rubbed off partially or completely show lighter or silver tones, and most of the black speckling I'd wager are pinholes or other deeper areas that were filled with black and not brass or silver. I'd point you towards the emitter as an example of what I mean as the effect without the brass is really quite visible on its own even without the brass.
This next idea I am not 100% sure of, but looking at the photo, it looks to me like a candy (transparent) yellow was used instead of a straight up metallic brass paint. If you put a candy over a silver like that you could indeed get a nice brass tone and I'm seeing a bit of translucency there. Just bumping up the saturation a little really makes it pop out to me as being a candy over the base silver... but this is all just my opinion.
View attachment IMG_0663.JPG
It would be difficult to paint this accurately if it was perfectly smooth. You'd almost have to introduce moisture to the mold and hope for similar casting defects to happen to finish it correctly.
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Mr Mold Maker
Master Member
No problem, glad I could help. 
I think I could pretty much nail this paint job and I would love to try... just a matter of getting the saber made!
I think I could pretty much nail this paint job and I would love to try... just a matter of getting the saber made!
I'm just about finished with my model. However, I'm unable to put the graflex writing on my clamp model. Can anyone help me out with that?
Hi Dan, even though I'm working abroad (and I'm pretty busy) I might be able to do it. I can build the clamp with the logo and send it to you to import it. What's your CAD system?
Roy
Sorry.I see that my post was probably a bit confusing. I mean in 3d, not a physical model.
Thanks Roy. That would be great. I use a couple different programs, but if you could send it as a stp file, that would be great. The finished model will be a stl mesh, but I can always turn the solid into a mesh. Basically I just need a graflex clamp modeled with the holes from the shared stunt cut out of it.
cboath
Master Member
Yeah...both those are 3d modeling programs. But for industry, therefore, loads of control. 3ds max, maya, etc, would be film/games...what are you working in?
Solidworks
cboath
Master Member
I just got SolidWorks at the office last week, so I don't know enough about it to tell you how to do it. In Inventor (written by the same guys), you take a sheet metal part and unfold it. It lets you work on the flat pattern of the object and you can then do your text work. Then, you refold the object back to it's original form.
Or are you saying you don't have the actual graflex text to place on it?
here's a tutorial on how to do flat pattern editing in SW and then reroll, just in case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n_qZUp6SG4
Or are you saying you don't have the actual graflex text to place on it?
here's a tutorial on how to do flat pattern editing in SW and then reroll, just in case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n_qZUp6SG4
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I build everything in Solidworks. My accurate clamp model is done in Solidworks. I'll add the holes and send it to you (native sldprt and step) in a few days.
Looks Beautiful. Thanks so much. Any chance you have a regular clamp lever modeled? If not, no worries, I can manage it. Appreciate your help
Yes, of course. These were just images I had.
the last time I measured the saber was awhile ago but I decided to paint one up a few days ago and I held it up to a graflex. It's a tad shorter than the graflex, like 1/8 or a bit less. The real hero is longer than a graflex if I remember correctly.
