WIP: Mostly Hardware Obi ANH

Looking good so far, but I'd love better pics. I'd love to see the detail.

How are you going to replicate the clamp?
 
James Kenobi 1138 said:
Looking good so far, but I'd love better pics. I'd love to see the detail. How are you going to replicate the clamp?
Click to expand...

Ah, yes. Detail. Unfortunately it's a bad camera operated by a worse cameraman! The first three (good) images were actually e-mailed to me by the individual from whom I aquired the resin grenade.

Most likely I'll be making the clamp from aluminum flashing. It's a little thin, but very workable, and I've had good luck with it in the past.
 
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For the pommel I'm thinking about casting my own piece using the machined pommel I used on my Obi ROTS/ANH hybrid. I've a seen product in local hooby shops for making "keepsake sculptures" (taking a cast of a baby's hand, foot, etc...). It comes in simulated stone, or crystal clear (my choice for this).

Basically you submerge the item to be cast in a pink goo. When it hardens, you pull out the original and pour in the casting compound. Once that's dry, you just peel away the mold (unfortunately, destroying it).

Has anyone ever used this, and would it be suitable for this purpose?
 
Okay, rather than buy the full-on (expensive) kit, I got the "refill" kit (I DON'T need the wood or mirrored base, etc). Unfortunately the clear version isn't available as a refill, so I was forced to get the simulated stone. I haven't done anyhting yet. Any last minute advice for a first time caster?
 
Wow. TEN months since the last post! Has it really been that that long?

Since then I've given up on casting the pommel. Not that I've tried it yet... It's just an old pommel (and emitter) turned upon the junkyard, and I figured I'd give it a shot.

Looks like this one'll be alot less hardware than I originally intended. Well, at least I'll finally have a decent, though not terribly accurate, Obi ANH.

So far I've drilled out the grenade and modified the hardware gear to mount over the thread rod, and replaced the 1" D-ring that came on the pommel with the correct 3/4". I also removed the hardware emitter, which actually featured a BEVELLED ring of holes.

Casualties so far include the neck of the grenade (the portion beyond the windvane was broken when I got it, now it's broken again!) and a chip in the pommel's chrome (umm, it IS supposed to be "weathered", right?).

Pics to come ASAP.
 
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Oh, regarding the emitter... It was made by "Hez". Looking at it, there's no way it could have been machined in one piece. Is anyone familiar enough with the design to tell me whether and/or how it could be disassembled. The tolerances are tight, so it could be two, possibly three, pieces.

I'm not entirely happy with some of the detail, and wish to remove or modify them, if possible. Any help would be appreciated.
 
While I still haven't figured out how to disassemble the emitter, I have managed to disguise one unsatisfactory detail: I've covered the inner "ring of holes" with the washer that I used for the reflector with the original hardware emitter. Curiously, there was a raised lip around that detail, and the washer snapped right into place.

Now I just need a tube with a slight taper to cover the open gap between the "ring of holes" on the flange and the inside base of the emitter. And maybe grind down the outside diameter of the flange (it seems wide to me!).
 
On a semi-unrelated note, I found a washer laying around at work that had the same outside diameter as the Hez emitter, and the same inside diameter as the toy truck wheel I'd been using for the "ring of holes" on other hardware sabers. It just snapped right over the truck wheel. Perfect!

So I knocked out a new emitter FOR the washer, and considered building an entirely new hardware saber. But then when I thought about it... Duh! I just put it on an old hardware Obi ANH (My first "good" one, with the frag body built up from epoxy putty. The one with the PVC frag body is now owned by a friend who's also into SW).

No pics yet, but I think it turned out suprisingly well.
 
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Not being entirely happy with the shape of the Hez pommel, I've aquired another pommel made by Gavidoc. First of all, holy crap is this thing HEAVY!

Second, man oh man is there alot of variation in pommels from different makers! The first one I got (Galaxy Trading?) was wrong in just about every way. The Hez was apparently made when we still believed there was a bit of bevel to the cubes (though I can't understand the virtually squared off end). Finally, the Gavidoc model has an unusual interpretation of the size and shape of the cubes.

And the threading! Three different pommels and thread different hole sizes and threading. And I thought 3/8-16 was THE standard.

I'll probably post some new pics as soon as I get the pommel mounted.
 
Tan Djarka said:
And I thought 3/8-16 was THE standard.
Click to expand...

That's Roman's standard. If I'm not misteken, he was the first to make a close to accurate prop available to the rpf(Back in '01 I believe), from which started all sorts of parts projects and upgrades.
 
Gytheran said:
That's Roman's standard. If I'm not misteken, he was the first to make a close to accurate prop available to the rpf(Back in '01 I believe), from which started all sorts of parts projects and upgrades.
Click to expand...
Yep Roman was quite the Obi ANH one stop shop.
I hope the problems with his last run of pommels didn't put him off the game.

Great hardware saber my man! That thing reminds me of some of the great hardware sabers done by playskool2000 back in the day.
Really great work so far, keep it up.
 
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Thanks for the encouraging words.

Now get this... Turns out the pommel IS 3/8-16! WTF? It won't accept the threaded rod I got with the other pommel and the emitter, but another rod I had laying around does fit. Odd to say the least.

Now all I have to do is finish the neck and add the Graflex clamp and associated details, and I can finally put this one to rest!
 
No pics yet, but I have finished the clamp, except fot the lever. I also decided not to use the REAL but inaccurate calc bubbles I had (they went to a hardware Graflex style saber with REAL emitter loop/bulb release). What I used was mylar backed plexi-glass with cabachons glued to it. While I overdid it with the glue a little, the results were better than I expected.

Just the clamp lever and some detail work on the transistors, and this thing'll be done (after SEVEN years)!
 
It's not the same saber as is detailed in the rest of this thread, but I've started rebuilding my first decent attempt at the Obi ANH. An updated pic can be found at:

http://community-2.webtv.net/MDChubb/SabreCraft/page4.html

Just scroll down to the bottom of the page. The neck/windvane, emitter, and the beginnings of the Graflex style clamp are new. As usual, questions and comments are welcome.
 
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