Re: TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run!
WHOA! Please put me on that list.
WHOA! Please put me on that list.
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Unlimited Run TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run! NOW SHIPPING
- Thread starter TridCloudwalker
- Start date
Re: TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run!
if it helps (or can), i can take and post a shot of mine with a coin as reference.
lemme know, pat.
if it helps (or can), i can take and post a shot of mine with a coin as reference.
lemme know, pat.
Re: TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run!
nash
Well-Known Member
Re: TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run!
yeah that would be cool :thumbsup
yeah that would be cool :thumbsup
Re: TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run!
Yeah, I'll add all of you, but there most likely won't be enough to get that far down the list. Still, economy sucks, there might be a few who have to bow out when it comes time to pay up. There's always a chance.
Be sure to sign up early when I eventually start the run for my next saber.
Yeah, I'll add all of you, but there most likely won't be enough to get that far down the list. Still, economy sucks, there might be a few who have to bow out when it comes time to pay up. There's always a chance.
Be sure to sign up early when I eventually start the run for my next saber.
Re: TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run!
Alrighty then, so I spent two hours of my day off at the machine shop today making sure the final cuts on the shroud were correct. It was quite a process, but I think you'll all like the results.
When we last saw the shrouds, they looked like this:
Now, measuring and blueprinting a prop is fairly straight forward. However, when it comes to angles where corners are not defined, it can get a little tricky. This is what the angled cut on the shroud is like; the transition between the angle and the straight cuts are met with a smooth rounded curve instead of a sharp angle. There was not a protractor handy when measuring the original prop, so arbitrary points on the curved radii and tangents had to be chosen to approximate the length of the sides. When these were translated to blueprint form, they looked right, but when plugged into the endmill and compared to my high-res photos of the original, it was a bit off.
Jig made to hold shroud in place:
Milling:
Here's what came out the first time with the original blueprint measurements:
It's close; damn close, but there are some differences to the original prop. The radius is too sharp, the angle is a little too extreme, and the tangent toward the top is practically missing, leaving a sharp angle instead that shortens the length of the outer curve.
Some more shots:
And here's a shot posted by one of our members here from one of the traveling exhibits of what the angles should look like (not from my high-res collection taken at the Archives, but you can get the point:
So some tweaks were made in the programming, and a slightly larger endmill bit put in, some prayers said, and what we ended up with was perfect! We also discovered that the tangent where the angle starts toward the top of the shroud was actually sanded on, and not machined. So we kept the sharp angle in the computer program, and then hit it with a belt sander afterward, and it ends up with the same exact curve and grain of the original prop! How's that for accurate.
Here she is:
These will be getting run for the next few days, and then either the knobs are going to get cleaned up (those little nibs cut off) or the grip slots will be getting cut out on the main bodies. Stay tuned.
Alrighty then, so I spent two hours of my day off at the machine shop today making sure the final cuts on the shroud were correct. It was quite a process, but I think you'll all like the results.
When we last saw the shrouds, they looked like this:
Now, measuring and blueprinting a prop is fairly straight forward. However, when it comes to angles where corners are not defined, it can get a little tricky. This is what the angled cut on the shroud is like; the transition between the angle and the straight cuts are met with a smooth rounded curve instead of a sharp angle. There was not a protractor handy when measuring the original prop, so arbitrary points on the curved radii and tangents had to be chosen to approximate the length of the sides. When these were translated to blueprint form, they looked right, but when plugged into the endmill and compared to my high-res photos of the original, it was a bit off.
Jig made to hold shroud in place:
Milling:
Here's what came out the first time with the original blueprint measurements:
It's close; damn close, but there are some differences to the original prop. The radius is too sharp, the angle is a little too extreme, and the tangent toward the top is practically missing, leaving a sharp angle instead that shortens the length of the outer curve.
Some more shots:
And here's a shot posted by one of our members here from one of the traveling exhibits of what the angles should look like (not from my high-res collection taken at the Archives, but you can get the point:
So some tweaks were made in the programming, and a slightly larger endmill bit put in, some prayers said, and what we ended up with was perfect! We also discovered that the tangent where the angle starts toward the top of the shroud was actually sanded on, and not machined. So we kept the sharp angle in the computer program, and then hit it with a belt sander afterward, and it ends up with the same exact curve and grain of the original prop! How's that for accurate.
Here she is:
These will be getting run for the next few days, and then either the knobs are going to get cleaned up (those little nibs cut off) or the grip slots will be getting cut out on the main bodies. Stay tuned.
Re: TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run!
If anyone needs to back out, I'd be interested in taking their spot.
If anyone needs to back out, I'd be interested in taking their spot.
Re: TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run!
Not a whole lot to show in pics, but progress is being steadily made.
The shrouds are completely done:
And final touches on the knobs are just about finished:
Brass ones are being reworked a bit. A better knurling tool was found, and a better way to run them through was reprogrammed:
Here's one about to go into the new knurling tool, and get a slight chamfer:
Should have another update by the end of the week, or after weekend at the latest with some new body work involving grooves.
Not a whole lot to show in pics, but progress is being steadily made.
The shrouds are completely done:
And final touches on the knobs are just about finished:
Brass ones are being reworked a bit. A better knurling tool was found, and a better way to run them through was reprogrammed:
Here's one about to go into the new knurling tool, and get a slight chamfer:
Should have another update by the end of the week, or after weekend at the latest with some new body work involving grooves.
Re: TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run!
Reworked brass knobs are done:
More updates soon.
Reworked brass knobs are done:
More updates soon.
Re: TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run!
NEW UPDATE!!
Apparently, and he doesn't know how, we were short 20 shrouds, so he's been running more of them.
BUT...
...he also started running some Delrin!
Here's a bunch of Delrin cut up and ready to turn into bulb releases and grips:
However, what's currently on the block are clamps!
And here she is on the main body:
I realize the body looks long, but keep in mind there is still a half inch that will be chopped off once the grip slots are milled in (the extra material is needed for support during the cuts), and I also didn't slide the shroud all the way down.
I need some feedback. Obviously, not everyone on the wait list is going to be getting one of these sabers. I think I'm only going to be able to get about 8 - 15 of the people on the list. And I still have about another five people to add to the list that I haven't gotten around to yet.
Now, I'm not going to hold up the run to have him make even more bodies. You guys have been waiting FAR FAR too long for these. However, if there is enough of a want, I could possibly do a second small run of 10 - 20. Unfortunately, I would have to charge more, as the machinist will charge more for doing a smaller run. Just the nature of their business. I'm not sure how much more they'd cost. Maybe an extra $50 or so (complete guesstimate). I'd like you guys toward the bottom of the list chime in and say if you'd potentially be willing to get in on a limited second run. They's only take a few weeks to run from start to finish, as all the programming is in the computers.
Let me know by posting here; not by PMing. Thanks!
NEW UPDATE!!
Apparently, and he doesn't know how, we were short 20 shrouds, so he's been running more of them.
BUT...
...he also started running some Delrin!
Here's a bunch of Delrin cut up and ready to turn into bulb releases and grips:
However, what's currently on the block are clamps!
And here she is on the main body:
I realize the body looks long, but keep in mind there is still a half inch that will be chopped off once the grip slots are milled in (the extra material is needed for support during the cuts), and I also didn't slide the shroud all the way down.
I need some feedback. Obviously, not everyone on the wait list is going to be getting one of these sabers. I think I'm only going to be able to get about 8 - 15 of the people on the list. And I still have about another five people to add to the list that I haven't gotten around to yet.
Now, I'm not going to hold up the run to have him make even more bodies. You guys have been waiting FAR FAR too long for these. However, if there is enough of a want, I could possibly do a second small run of 10 - 20. Unfortunately, I would have to charge more, as the machinist will charge more for doing a smaller run. Just the nature of their business. I'm not sure how much more they'd cost. Maybe an extra $50 or so (complete guesstimate). I'd like you guys toward the bottom of the list chime in and say if you'd potentially be willing to get in on a limited second run. They's only take a few weeks to run from start to finish, as all the programming is in the computers.
Let me know by posting here; not by PMing. Thanks!
Re: TridCloudwalker's Anakin AotC Lightsaber Run!
Clamp rings just about finished:
Clamp rings just about finished:
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