Who builds sabers anymore?

[Brevin Din-Shay]

I was just curious, folks...

When it comes to sabers, are any of you still researching these days, or has the MR bug gotten to everybody?

I'm working on a couple of things that I've had on hold for several years, and BOY, does it feel good.


Speak up if you're still into scratchbuilding, and tell what you're working on.

My projects are a Vader ROTJ saber for my very own (finally...), and a scratch E-11.

 

[ob1al]

I'm also building a Vader ROTJ at the moment. I've got square eyes from looking at pics of the MOM saber.

 

[Brevin Din-Shay]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ob1al @ Jan 17 2007, 02:10 AM) [snapback]1398982[/snapback]</div>

I'm also building a Vader ROTJ at the moment. I've got square eyes from looking at pics of the MOM saber.
[/b]

:lol

Oh, I've been there, Al...you may remember.

Take some good pics and post 'em up. If you need any more ref pics, LMK...I have a ton. I may be out of pocket for a few days at a time, but I'll get them to ya via e-mail.


Happy building, and good to know you're still doing just that. Oh, hey, what parts are you using? Ken's, one of mine (haha.), or something different? Don't answer if you don't want to....

 

[GrenadeKing]

Im scratch building an Anakin AOTC at the moment. It's kinda' cheap, but you can't be too picky when your short on funds and machine shops :lol
I made my own Luke ROTJ in shop class awhile back. Its nowhere near acurate, but I built it myself and I enjoyed it and thats all that really matters I like to think.

 

[cayman shen]

I've got a Bolsey Yoda TPM 90% done, about a third of the parts I need to make a Vader ROTJ, and I've got a Russrep V2 blank coming. Yup, I've got a lot of projects going, and I love building my own. I have to say though, it really pushes the limits of my talent to make my stuff look good next to the MR stuff. I've really had to slave to make my Yoda not feel inferior to my OB EE.

 

[acerocket]

I still prefer to build my own stuff. I've got a couple Graflex and MPP flashes that are waiting to be converted and have my plans all finalized for a Luke ROTJ. I'd like to build one of each of the OT sabers then set about doing as many of the PT ones as I can. I've already done an Anakin ROTJ for a friend and may another one for myself later.

 

[cayman shen]

I'm one of those minority who prefer the PT sabers, and I've gone back and forth on a lathe/mill for years, but the MR ones are VERY affordable, for the most part, so...I'll built the "found part" sabers and hardware some cool customs, but I can't see building the PT sabers. I mean, I have to be economical in my collecting and building your own is often, perversely, more expensive when all is said and done.

 

[franz bolo]

There was some cool stuff in THIS THREAD about custom designs.

Post some custom stuff in there if you have any..

FB

 

[ob1al]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Brevin Din-Shay @ Jan 17 2007, 08:13 AM) [snapback]1398984[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ob1al @ Jan 17 2007, 02:10 AM) [snapback]1398982[/snapback]

I'm also building a Vader ROTJ at the moment. I've got square eyes from looking at pics of the MOM saber.
[/b]

:lol

Oh, I've been there, Al...you may remember.

Take some good pics and post 'em up. If you need any more ref pics, LMK...I have a ton. I may be out of pocket for a few days at a time, but I'll get them to ya via e-mail.

Happy building, and good to know you're still doing just that. Oh, hey, what parts are you using? Ken's, one of mine (haha.), or something different? Don't answer if you don't want to....
[/b][/quote]

This is my 'V2' Vader ROTJ - for this one, I'm using some of Ken's parts and some scratchbuilt parts.

Extra reference pics would be great, thanks. Yet more detail to obsess over will keep feeding my obsession. :love

 

[tripoli]

I for the most part want the most accurate and buy the MR sabers because they had access to the film sabers and know exactly what the sabers are like for the most part. The original trilogy sabers I like to make myself as they were made of items that can still be found, like the graflex sabers. In those cases, I think I can do better than the manufactured pieces. Although MR did a pretty nice job on the ones they made. I am seeing bubbling of the chrome on the FX sabers and that makes me worry about the long term condition of the MR pieces as well.

 

[SmilingOtter]

I tend to lean towards the custom jobs.

 

[xwingband]

I think the people building sabers still are. If they have the know how and ingenuity then they probably wouldn't consider just buying one.

The majority of people buying LE's and stuff are collectors. Since I deal with light-ups mostly I don't think the FX sabers have really made a negative dent. If anything it's made others more aware of the possibilities.

EDIT: I like custom jobs even though I don't have machining capabilities. I have 4 sabers in the works. I work with Luxeon sabers almost exclusively.

 

[Gigatron]

I built all of my OT sabers from either original parts or very accurate replicas of found parts with the exception of the Vader ROTJ (which I got as a machined kit from obi1kenny) and Luke ROTJ which I got from a member here, but I did some work to it to make it more accurate.

As far as my PT collection is concerned, they are all MR mini sabers. All of them combined cost as much as one full sized saber, so I'm happy with what I've got (except for that darned QGJ mini, which I'm hoping they'll still release).

-Fred

 

[hyperdyne]

I'm always into building sabers. I have a few being done now, one custom hilt and a couple others.

 

[Gigatron]

AAAARRGGHH. I just saw on MR's site that the QGJ mini wll only be released as part of the 2007 Collector's Society pack :angry .

On the upside, at least they got rid of that coupon crap and will offer an all encompassing 10% discount on every order. Now I can pick up the scaled blasters as well B)

-Fred

 

[firebladejedi]

I still like to make my own lightsabers aswell. I have only made a couple but i think it is much more satisfying to scratch make these than to buy an MR or something. I may not have the skill as some people do but i like the authentic look of a home made, and just like the prop guys did in the movies, stick a load of old junk to an old graflex.

I have a rotj vader saber which is my fav

And my first attempt, a Luke ANH that is not that accurate

Im looking at doing another Luke ANH and trying to make it more accurate and converting my first Luke saber into a Luke esb, also starting to gather the parts to make an OWK ep IV.

 

[mtsbspidey]

i'm in the process of gathering the parts to make an ESB luke and vader...i guess there are still some of us makign our own...it's nice to see that it's not just me though...skott

 

[Darth Lars]

I have only a very small collection of static hilts and I have built all of them except one -- which I won in a lightsaber design/building competition .. and even that one is a little bit customized with more on the todo list.
I build my own because first I can not afford many MR sabers, second because I don't want to part from my own interpretation of a prop, and third because I love the research, design and building.
However, the downside to my obsession is that I consider all of them to be less than 100% finished. I often obsess about how they could be improved. Half of them are in some state of rebuild and not on display.

I have had other sabers made by other people, but I have sold those off. A prop that is not 100% accurate and which I can not accurize is dead to me. There is a piece of my soul in each prop that I have built myself.

 

[JunkSabers1138]

I scratch build most of the time (hence the name), but haven't been able to get around to it as much as I used to . I like to buy sabers as well so I guess I'm a compromising man.

 

[Amanaman]

I just got my MR ROTJ Vader but I still want to make a custom, if it didn't cost more than MR's. The parts are getting harder to find.