Vintage Graflex Flash Gun found for $50

[thd9791]

Hey guys, to not take over another thread i thought I'd start my own
This is a flash gun I found last week and got for 50 dollars, including shipping


i'm a little torn as to which direction, ANH or ESB to take this in. Drilling in general for D rings or screws on grips...is that really okay to do to this thing?


aaand Every time I try to attach something it sits there uploading forever, and times out. So when I can I will upload pics

 

[Sym-Cha]

Hi there,

You better use photobucket.com (it's free and easy) to upload your pictures. Also resize your pictures down if they are more then 500kB.

These are the additional items you'll need to complete your ANH Luke lightsaber :

Grips : http://www.therpf.com/f13/t-track-grip-accurate-grips-your-sabers-blasters-38510/

Bubbles replica : http://www.therpf.com/f13/cast-exactra-20-bubble-strips-available-67567/

or real Excatra 19 or 20 : Datamath Calculator Museum click on ALBUM>Basic Calculators>scroll down to Exactra Line>Exactra 19 or 20 for pictures.

D-ring : http://www.therpf.com/f9/luke-anh-lightsaber-d-ring-103270/

and one finished already + tips : http://www.therpf.com/f9/vintage-graflex-anh-luke-saber-too-many-pics-tmi-107870/

-Chaim

 

[thegreatgalling]

I'm honored you linked to mine Chaim. I couldn't have done it without you.

Also, your link for the D-Ring is actually the link to Rebelscum's Exactras.

Good luck thd9791, you are in the right place! Feel free to PM if you have any questions.

 

[Sym-Cha]

You are very welcome my young padawan. Your thread was the most elaborate about how to handle a graflex flashgun, clamp etcetera, so is very useful indeed and could use a regular bump from time to time for those who are converting graflex flashguns into lightsaber hilts

-Chaim

PS Link fixed

 

[thd9791]

This is it haha. Thank you for the photobucket tip! I'm on a short budget, so i may look for kits or other versions of grips that arent that much money. How are all your graflex conversions? I'd love to see them

 

[Sym-Cha]

Hi there,

My original first 2 graflex flashguns are still intact except one has the ANH D-ring on it (see my D-ring thread) and eventhough I have many parts already in the house :
2 sets of GINO's grips, 7 Exactra's : 19, 20 and TI2000, and a couple of D-rings ANH style, 2 Kobold Flashguns 1 for an ESB style D-ring and 1 as a droidcaller, 1 spare vintage red ESB button. At the moment I have 4 1/2 '3 Cell' graflex flashguns altogether now (1 is a 2 CELL so counts as 1/2 a 3 CELL :lol). So sorry but I don't have any finished lightsabers for you ... yet.

Why is the text '3 CELL' removed from your flashgun's bottom?

-Chaim

 

[thd9791]

Why is the text '3 CELL' removed from your flashgun's bottom?

-Chaim

You are the first to notice that! Including me, I'm really not sure, I'll have to do some digging. It looks like it was removed with some rotary tool, buffed out. Hmmm

And that is very cool, sum cha, that you've brought together so many real parts. I am still hunting/balancing my budget and those accessories. I've seen rubber clear bumpers at Lowes

 

[Sym-Cha]

Yeah I have a keen eye for the little details. Did you read my discovery of the flat and round bubbles in certain Exactra 19 and 20, yet?

http://www.therpf.com/f9/lightsaber-calculator-bubbles-new-discovery-73545/

The last Exactra 20 I bought was only £26 = $43 and came from the UK, which was the cheapest sofar, if you consider the high shipping costs from the States lately.
There was also mentioning of a black plastic garden rake that could be cut to make the T-track.
See post#3 here :

http://www.therpf.com/f9/what-good-t-track-substitute-fett-blaster-71775/

I suggest you cut your own clip for the D-Ring, large enough to totally cover the buffed out 3 CELL.

-Chaim

 

[Sandstorm]

i'm looking into making my first hilt, but first i need to ask quite possibly a stupid question.

what is the difference between a 2 cell and 3 cell Graflex? is the 2 cell shorter?

 

[Sym-Cha]

Hi there,

No question is stupid. Yes a 2 CELL is shorter indeed! It's the 3 CELL you'll need for a Luke lightsaber.

-Chaim

 

[Clutch]

2 CELL = 2 batteries
3 CELL = 3 batteries

 

[thd9791]

Yup, They are shorter or longer, because you stacked less or more batteries in the tube to power the flash. The longer of the 2, a 3 cell, has enough tube to put grips on. A 2 cell is rather short, with not much space beneath the button or clamp if you will.

 

[Sandstorm]

cool, thanks guys. i wasn't sure if they put in a filler piece so it was same length but number of batteries differed and the 3 cell was the super anal accurate version.

an exactra 21 won't have the bubbles we're looking for i take it?

my hunt continues for a base to start with

 

[Sym-Cha]

DATAMATH PICTURES

The only calculators that have the seven bubbles inside are : Exactra 19, Exactra 20 and the TI-2000 (Made in Italy).

http://www.datamath.org/BASIC/Exactra/JPEG_TI-2000.htm#display

-Chaim

 

[Sandstorm]

you're all a tremendous help.

on ebay theres a kit with reproduction bubble strip and matting. i understand the matting is near impossible to find original. but is it worth it to spend the money on a real bubble strip? i know with the props i've built, i like to know the stuff i have is real and original, however, if there is no way of telling unless the reproductions are of a different medium. say rubber vs hard plastic or glass.

 

[thd9791]

Yea, see I'm on a not too high budget, and I think it's kinda fun finding stuff in your everyday life or store that looks close to the real thing.

So, i'm still looking for grips and a bubble strip that aren't too much money.

There are even little clear rubber bumpers at your local hardware store that you could set on a piece of glass or clear plastic.

I would recommend places like blast-tech though. They are looking like my best bet.

 

[Sym-Cha]

Well some of my real Exactra Bubbles have what we call ice-ing surface around the clear bubbles.
Also I have 2 strips with fully round bubbles as opposed to the ones with flattened sides which are more common. One is reserved for my all real vintage parts Obi-Wan ANH when the quest for the grenade and emitter is finally over

-Chaim

 

[thd9791]

Is Saber Kit connected with parks? and in that case, are they trustworthy?

 

[Sym-Cha]

I do think so ... I do not know any of their business behaviour, sorry. BTW did you see my tip to look for a black rake to cut the grips from?

Blast-Tech would be my choise to buy kits from, although it's probably best to contact them first about the requested items before purchasing from their website, so you know what is still readily available.

-Chaim

 

[Clutch]

I'm pretty sure saber kit is parks. I ordered a d-ring from them once and it took months and numerous emails to get to me. It wasn't very accurate either.