The OT stunt lightsaber blades research thread

[kurtyboy]

The pool/billiards/snooker (UK) cue must be in reference to ANH. Now that I watch the behind the scenes ANH footage I can't help thinking it sounds like what two snooker cues would sound like. Some are as long as nearly 60". Most break down into two but there are some that are one piece. Anyway, the join wouldn't be visible once coated in Scotchlite.

I did a quick bit of rotoscoping in the same style as ANH. If you've seen the infamous "misaligned rotoscoping" in the Birth of the Lightsaber documentary, this might look familiar. I only spent about five minutes on the rotoscoping so it's only a few seconds long.

My Vader is holding the rotating square bladed Luke ANH stunt, and I'm holding a ski pole.

 

[Mouse Vader]

Way cool ! that square blade is going well. I used to play snooker regularly as a young person & the cue is way too thick at the grip but that's the wooden ones.

 

[SethS]

As much as the practical effect alone would have ultimately looked like trash, I love the flicker. It makes the blades feel dangerous and alive. ESB didn't use the practical lighting effect, but there was still some random vibration to the blades. By ROTJ they start to look painted on.

I can't stand the PT blade effect.

 

[roygilsing]

I can't stand the PT blade effect.

You can't stand the PT. Period.

 

[Halliwax]

They have gaffers tape on the boosters in the prequels?!


Lol!! Everyone jump on Seth pig pile!!!!!!

 

[Mouse Vader]

As soon as I saw an ewok I knew it was game over.

 

[thd9791]

I'm using 3M Scotchlite 8910 fabric which is not available as an adhesive tape. Spray adhesive is clean but not very durable, while E6000 is durable but messy! Still, once spinning and illuminated it looks great either way.

Kurtyboy - Have you ever wrapped this fabric around a rod? Or just glued it to flat surfaces, for spinning?

Thanks! (just bought some myself, and plan to get messy with e6000)

 

[kurtyboy]

Yes, with spray adhesive or E6000. 3M Display Mount adhesive spray will hold it as well unless you deliberately pull it off.

 

[thd9791]

Thanks, that helps my confidence lol I'm thinking of this picture, which I'm interpreting as a few layers of scotchlite, wrapped like a giftwrap tube.

 

[Mouse Vader]

As we're doing fabric on this thread, here's some cheapy stuff I got from fleabay.

& with flash.

The silver is really good, much better than the tape I've got, the yellow is OK about the same as the tape but still looks more like fluorescent yellow to the eye. It's reflecting well in this flash photo. The 'black', in the middle, is just pants. I complained & the vendor is sending me some more silver as a replacement. It's about £3.50 /half meter & 1m wide.

 

[thd9791]

Silver is very nice reflection! I will post a flash test once I receive the scotchlite. What fabric is this?

 

[Mouse Vader]

I'm impressed with the silver too. There is no 'graininess' to it, just flat white & I'd say at least twice a bright as the tape I showed earlier. Reflects well from ordinary light sources too.
£3.76 for 0.5 x 1 meter UK ebay:
1M 3' Reflective Fabric Cloth Material Sew/Glue SILVER Black REFLECTIVE FABRIC | eBay
There are plenty of others selling what looks to be the same material. Backing is shiny grey synthetic fabric.

 

[kurtyboy]

This is the stunt blade from the remote training. Is it going from round to square?

 

[Halliwax]

This is the stunt blade from the remote training. Is it going from round to square? View attachment 994870

Never seen that pic before

 

[Mouse Vader]

Round all the way... the only way to improve certainty is to make what you think it is and then photograph it at the same angle & trying to replicate the lighting. But you know that.
I have more bits now. Have been painting my V2 & am hoping to make a start on at least one blade next week.

 

[kurtyboy]

Never seen that pic before

 

[Halliwax]

Honestly don’t believe I have, at least I can’t remember. Thanks for sharing!!

 

[thd9791]

Looks like there might be a hole where the red button went, but also LOOK AT THAT CURVED EMITTER! Looks like the ANH stunt had a cleaner cut emitter than the "tube" stunt used for Jedi and some of ESB

 

[kurtyboy]

This one is also out there, but I can't find the unedited version.

 

[thd9791]

Here's the ANH motorized stunt again