My Kingdom for Flashgun clamps

SethS

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jan 30, 2016

• #1

I threw a post up in the WTB board, but figured I'd go wider here.

My custom saber-making is in dire need of flashgun clamps. Obviously Graflexes would be the most desired-- I'd love an MPP for a Vader saber I'm working on, but I'm down for about anything that can hold an edge card or bubble strip. The Heiland MPP clamp knockoff, a Peak tension lever clamp, a Sol sleeve clamp or a Minicam 2-band wheeled clamp-- so long as it fits a D cell and has a lower profile I'd be down to trade you something for it, or even throw money at you.

Looks like the MPP repro availability has dried up with Parks being parks and TCSS being out of stock.

I've got a Greflex repro on order with Roman, but I have no idea how many he'll get or where in line I am when they arrive in February.

I had a 3D printed Graflex come my way, and it looks great once painted on on display-- but of course it's light and I feel like it will snap if I play with it too much.

I do have the template that's been floating around online and some small sheets of Aluminum-- I want to think I could by a couple folding clamps/pliers and mke one-- but I doubt my ability to be that precise...

 

Scott D

Sr Member

• Jan 30, 2016

• #2

SethS said:

I threw a post up in the WTB board, but figured I'd go wider here.

My custom saber-making is in dire need of flashgun clamps. Obviously Graflexes would be the most desired-- I'd love an MPP for a Vader saber I'm working on, but I'm down for about anything that can hold an edge card or bubble strip. The Heiland MPP clamp knockoff, a Peak tension lever clamp, a Sol sleeve clamp or a Minicam 2-band wheeled clamp-- so long as it fits a D cell and has a lower profile I'd be down to trade you something for it, or even throw money at you.

Looks like the MPP repro availability has dried up with Parks being parks and TCSS being out of stock.

I've got a Greflex repro on order with Roman, but I have no idea how many he'll get or where in line I am when they arrive in February.

I had a 3D printed Graflex come my way, and it looks great once painted on on display-- but of course it's light and I feel like it will snap if I play with it too much.

I do have the template that's been floating around online and some small sheets of Aluminum-- I want to think I could by a couple folding clamps/pliers and mke one-- but I doubt my ability to be that precise...

Click to expand...

I made a replica Graflex clamp around 16 years ago. When I look at it now, I wonder how I had the skill and patience to fabricate it. :lol

Email John at Blast-Tech, I saw a post on here recently and I think it said he still had some of his MPP clamps in stock.

 

SethS

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jan 30, 2016

• #3

Blas-tech was brought up in another thread recently-- I think he's fully out of business now.

Have you every tried those hand tools for metal folding? I saw some at home depot, and I feel like they make it look easy... but I am probably fooling myself.

 

veektohr

Sr Member

• Jan 30, 2016

• #4

There's a thread kicking around that got necro'd a few weeks ago where a guy made his own MPP replica. It looked REALLY good. I've considered going that route just for funsies.

 

SethS

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jan 30, 2016

• #5

I think I just found it-- I may one for funsies too, with the goal of just getting a clamp-like shape that stays on a flashgun and not actually replicating everything. I mean, if I am willing to drop $50 on a clamp why not the same amount on the tools to make my own. If it's a disaster no one has to know...

 

Scott D

Sr Member

• Jan 30, 2016

• #6

SethS said:

Blas-tech was brought up in another thread recently-- I think he's fully out of business now.

Have you every tried those hand tools for metal folding? I saw some at home depot, and I feel like they make it look easy... but I am probably fooling myself.

Click to expand...

I think I used my vice, I didn't buy anything special to make mine.

I found the list of what he still has in stock. It's in post #12 of this thread.

http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=232027

 

SethS

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jan 30, 2016

• #7

Hmm! I know Kermit has been on the hunt as well... he's made a lot of threads on the topic. It seems he's been waiting some time for the clamp... I suppose it's easy enough to email John and see what he has to say.

Hopefully Roman's Graflex stock comes in on time and he has enough I can get more than what I ordered.

I'm still tempted to try making one-- but I'd hate to invest in the tools only to fail.

 

T

tomm1999

Sr Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jan 30, 2016

• #8

I just placed an order about an hour ago, the email I received a couple weeks ago said he had them in stock. He confirmed my order today. I would strongly suggest emailing him first to make sure he has it. He seems to reply to emails about once a week

 

propmainiac

Sr Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jan 30, 2016

• #9

Hi
thank you Veektohr for the compliment on my clamp! It wasnt that hard to make and making one that is non functioning may even be easier. I allready had the metal and i used a dremel, drill and a bending brake from Harbor Freight which i had bought a few years before for other projects. If I can help those that have any questions on building their own please dont hesitate to ask.

 

SethS

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jan 30, 2016

• #10

Which brake was it? Cause if it was the $40 one I might get ambitious! If it was the $400 I think I'll defer to the experts

In my head it seems easy to picture folding away--- until you get to those teeeeny tiny edges where calc bubbles or edge cards go...

 

Gytheran

Sr Member

• Jan 31, 2016

• #11

My suggestion is, if the Graflex clamp is what you're really looking for... and Roman's prices are agreeable... sign up for however many you need/want. He always comes through and the quality is always top notch. I've bought 2 MK3 sabers from him and I have 0 regrets(Roman, see this glowing review? throw a steel grenade my way! ) You have to remember, it's not just straight up cost you are considering, but also the time and energy invested creating exactly what you want. Having the tooling on hand is nice, but that means you are willing to make enough to justify the initial tooling cost. There's a lot of commitment involved in testing your methods perfecting the process. If you are limited on time or resources, it may be better to operate through someone who has already done the legwork(roman, seriously, steel grenade ). It all depends on how much you value your time.

 

SethS

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Jan 31, 2016

• #12

Oh I'm on the list! I know his rep... I'm just impatient

 

SethS

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Feb 1, 2016

• #13

Can anyone ID this bad boy?

 

propmainiac

Sr Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Feb 1, 2016

• #14

King Sol flash?

 

SethS

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Feb 1, 2016

• #15

The flash is a Sol, 100% I was curious about the clamp. Sol's usually have the wheeled band clamp action. Hadn't seen this one before.

I mean, I bought it either way, just curious of the brand.

 

thd9791

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Feb 1, 2016

• #16

my god, please post pics to document this clamp when you get it! I thought the closest thing to a Graflex was a De Mornay Budd clamp!

 

propmainiac

Sr Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Feb 1, 2016

• #17

To me it looks like a Graflex lever on a custom clamp. I could be wrong though. Seth..... I bought the small brake from Harbor freight some years ago. It says it will go up to 16 gauge steel......well I broke the handles on mine trying that. I found out if I scored the steel with a dremel cutting disc then I could bend it. As far as the tiny bends where the computer cards go I couldn't make the clamp band all one piece so those pieces were made separately then solderd on to the clamp. I got measurements from some generous members here and Mugato was a big help with pics and dimensions.

 

SethS

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Feb 1, 2016

• #18

I haven't gotten it delivered yet to inspect it for a manufacturer's stamp, but here's more angles from the seller. I'm not sure how I'll get an edge card in that curved slot-- but I'm also suspecting it may be a custom job.

 

SethS

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Feb 7, 2016

• #19

Got it in my hands. No manufacturer's stamp/mark. It was on a mystery flash that I determined is a King Sol (or at least the cap is) with a Heiland style bulb release. So MAYBE it goes with that one.

I don't think it's a custom using a Graflex lever, I put them side by side to show the differences. The curve in it is definitely engineered, so it must have gone with a very specific camera, in fact I'm leaning toward it coming with the camera, not the flashgun.

It's wider than any pre-made repro edge card, and the material I'm cutting my own from isn't that flexible. But I have taken a few old broken electronics I have laying around for wires, greeblies, and whatever else and I found a board that was thinner. I managed to slide it right into the clamp without any force and it took the bend fine.

When I put this on a saber build I'll likely bend some little bits of aluminum to cover up the crazy open space.

 

SethS

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Feb 7, 2016

• #20

thd9791 said:

my god, please post pics to document this clamp when you get it! I thought the closest thing to a Graflex was a De Mornay Budd clamp!

Click to expand...

Just in case you missed it above...