Tom’s cousin wants a Rey saber

[thd9791]

Sooooo my cousin requested me to build a saber, and one that really peaked her interest was Rey’s own lightsaber. As many of you know here the original was custom machined or printed and very few of the shapes on it are anywhere near stock dimensions, let alone found parts. Wasn’t a chuck gear identified on her staff, but it was a 3D print of a scan of the part or something?

I don’t know, but this is going to be a Tom Stunt saber, one way or another. Do we have good reference of this prop? I’m starting to hoard reference.

I decided to start with a 3D print from Etsy and machine some inner parts, re-engineer the inside and make it into what I want. I feel like this is how Adam Savage approaches a project…

Anyway here are some shots of the beginning…. What I’m starting with. I’m going to document it here (not pictured is the baggie of triangles for the emitter)

 

[Halliwax]

Very kind of you sir, get ready for some sanding

 

[thd9791]

Very kind of you sir, get ready for some sanding

Ohhh yea, I was going to prime it to build up filler before sanding.

I think they had this idea of rotating the emitter, which is supposed to lift something in the emitter, but it doesn’t really work.

It’s going to be a stunt saber anyway, I’m thinking of installing a bearing in the gear so it spins though

 

[lukyanov]

You can use my version as a reference

 

[Vagabond Elf]

Hmm. Looks like they modeled the leather wrap on the handle? I think if I were building this, I'd rather have actual leather wrapped around that part.

 

[thd9791]

Alright folks, I have an idea for the skeleton but it’s a bit of a mess right now. I promise it will work out!

For now, I hit everything with black automotive primer, and did the Adam savage thing where I glued sandpaper to wood scraps and sanded the primer down.

It smoothed out the surface significantly, so I’m in the midst of some more paint…

 

[ID10T]

I've found that using UV resin as a "gap filler" is better/faster than primer build up. You still need the final primer, especially on any really flay pieces, but usually 90+% of those print lines are gone in one UV pass.

 

[thd9791]

Thank you! I think next time… I’ll experiment with UV resin. This time, a few coats of primer and sanding got it serviceable.

Now.. I had to decide which way to go with this project. I wanted to do a blade, which means structure inside. I went ahead and measured the business end and guesstimated where the blade would come out. It was rather small, so I made a smaller original trilogy blade! This took some time. I used clear loctite as filler and I’m going to tap a set screw soon.

The hilt… the rotating thing didn’t quite work out with the prints design. I’m still not sure what the point was, but there are more important things ( namely how to affix the emitter flaps )

So I used British multiput and clear loctite to affix a steel tang and hand carved aluminum bushings throughout the hilt. This adhesive is meant for outdoor things like house numbers so I feel it will hold. I can’t run set screws through the print like I’m used to.

I’m going to do the real paint job by hand because…. Drumroll….

I engineered a window to more lightsaber light inside the emitter!

 

[thd9791]

Also, now that I've got it together, with a base coat, I can sit down with some reference.

 

[thd9791]

Sooooo…. I like this a lot

 

[thd9791]

Ok folks, in the time between I did install the emitter flaps. Being a stunt saber they wouldn’t be able to close fully, and each tab broke trying to fit them in the axle in the print. Anyway, I re-engineered them and set them securely in the emitter ring

So, at this point I ran a set screw through the blade (M5) and started on the layers of paint.

I am stippling charcoal gray over the silver under coat today. It’s coming out very, very well

 

[thd9791]

this is after a coat of leather brown (over the lighter brown and Khacki you see in the photos above) and a graphite rub… gotta clear coat it eventually but I’m loving this finish

 

[Halliwax]

Keep it up!

 

[thd9791]

I wrapped the blade in yellow reflexive! It started peeling within an hour but I hit the blade with super 77 before applying the tape (which had adhesive on it already) so I don’t think it will come off, it just looks sloppy

 

[thd9791]

I did some weathering today. Graphite rub.... BBQ Black dusting, clear coat and a silver dry brush

 

[Halliwax]

It glows!!! Yay!!

 

[thd9791]

So, most of the tape peeled right off near the tip and the rest of it started too. It’s too sharp of

a curve for reflexite…

So, I literally wrapped the blade in packing tape, enough that the packing tape stuck to itself (because it also doesn’t stick to reflexite) and this effect works through packing tape a well