Show your custom Lightsabers!

So, I've been weighing up the options for creating a bottom half to my Canon Model Y, and while making one myself from scratch using a length of aluminium (as Scott D did) is probably the cheapest and easiest option, I'd like to explore every other avenue in the way of getting a vintage flash that suits the task before making that decision.

So, my question is, what are (if any) the flashes that would be the best suited to adapting for this project, since I know it was mentioned a few pages ago that the Canon flashes in particular are an usual diameter due to being of Japanese make. There is a decently cheap Minicam Syncho Junior on eBay right now, but it looks to be a different finish from the Model Y.

Ta.
 
Yeah, the Jr is a C-cell.

And @ScottD is a wizard who sold his soul to metal gods. He can't be copied!

I say the tripod mount on the bottom cap is your friend!

I've done this four times now...

Version 1 & 2: I used a Tower brand 2-cell flash. The Tower is a generic Heiland/Nikkor rip-off. I used a 1/4" knob that you can find on most any frame bracket that comes with a flash, (or buy one solo). Threading it in the INSIDE of the endcap, going out, I then screwed on the Tower using the same mount on its endcap. Butt to butt as it were. Meaning now you need a new endcap to close off the top of the second flash that is now the bottom of the saber.

For version 1, I found that the endcap from D-cell maglite fit right into place. For version 2, I used a set screw to attach an obi-wan style pommel.

Version 3, I found a flash extender meant to make a 2 cell longer. They are pretty common and come in a lot of styles. There's even monopods made for modern cameras that could do the trick if you want to get fancy.

It wasn't a Canon, but I had a 2 cell Agfa flash that I did the same trick as V1 and 2 with using a Rainier 2 cell flash. There's lots of cheap 2 cells out there. If they are d-cells they will be close to the same size. They might be a little off-- and the finish might be different, but usually with weathering and grips in place you can't tell.

I'd show you pics, but my jerkface webhosts have let my site go down again...
 
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Yeah, the Jr is a C-cell.

And @ScottD is a wizard who sold his soul to metal gods. He can't be copied!

I say the tripod mount on the bottom cap is your friend!

I've done this four times now...

Version 1 & 2: I used a Tower brand 2-cell flash. The Tower is a generic Heiland/Nikkor rip-off. I used a 1/4" knob that you can find on most any frame bracket that comes with a flash, (or buy one solo). Threading it in the INSIDE of the endcap, going out, I then screwed on the Tower using the same mount on its endcap. Butt to butt as it were. Meaning now you need a new endcap to close off the top of the second flash that is now the bottom of the saber.

For version 1, I found that the endcap from D-cell maglite fit right into place. For version 2, I used a set screw to attach an obi-wan style pommel.

Version 3, I found a flash extender meant to make a 2 cell longer. They are pretty common and come in a lot of styles. There's even monopods made for modern cameras that could do the trick if you want to get fancy.

It wasn't a Canon, but I had a 2 cell Agfa flash that I did the same trick as V1 and 2 with using a Rainier 2 cell flash. There's lots of cheap 2 cells out there. If they are d-cells they will be close to the same size. They might be a little off-- and the finish might be different, but usually with weathering and grips in place you can't tell.

I'd show you pics, but my jerkface webhosts have let my site go down again...
I like these ideas! I'd love to see some pics, when you get them working!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yeah, the Jr is a C-cell.

And @ScottD is a wizard who sold his soul to metal gods. He can't be copied!

I say the tripod mount on the bottom cap is your friend!

I've done this four times now...

Version 1 & 2: I used a Tower brand 2-cell flash. The Tower is a generic Heiland/Nikkor rip-off. I used a 1/4" knob that you can find on most any frame bracket that comes with a flash, (or buy one solo). Threading it in the INSIDE of the endcap, going out, I then screwed on the Tower using the same mount on its endcap. Butt to butt as it were. Meaning now you need a new endcap to close off the top of the second flash that is now the bottom of the saber.

For version 1, I found that the endcap from D-cell maglite fit right into place. For version 2, I used a set screw to attach an obi-wan style pommel.

Version 3, I found a flash extender meant to make a 2 cell longer. They are pretty common and come in a lot of styles. There's even monopods made for modern cameras that could do the trick if you want to get fancy.

It wasn't a Canon, but I had a 2 cell Agfa flash that I did the same trick as V1 and 2 with using a Rainier 2 cell flash. There's lots of cheap 2 cells out there. If they are d-cells they will be close to the same size. They might be a little off-- and the finish might be different, but usually with weathering and grips in place you can't tell.

I'd show you pics, but my jerkface webhosts have let my site go down again...

Awesome, thanks a lot for your advice, I'll certainly take every bit of it into consideration. I'm likely not going to be able to extend the flash with any vintage parts, such as the extender (which was the option that piqued my interest the most), there simply isn't an abundance of such items in the UK, and if you find a decent one overseas, shipping is worth three times the cost of the item. The maglite option sounds promising, when I have the Canon in hand I'll start to make some real decisions.

Now, I'd like to just acknowledge the help that this thread has given me already yielding physical results. Specifically in this case, the help Dann provided in my search for a bubble strip, which ended up with me finding and purchasing this...

15271726_1352189384812282_651778613_o.jpg

Which has a rather lovely one of these behind the screen...

15215833_1352184224812798_1747473258_o.jpg

Lovin' it. So, thanks to everybody here for being so generous with their knowledge. I really appreciate it.
 
Awesome, thanks a lot for your advice, I'll certainly take every bit of it into consideration. I'm likely not going to be able to extend the flash with any vintage parts, such as the extender (which was the option that piqued my interest the most), there simply isn't an abundance of such items in the UK, and if you find a decent one overseas, shipping is worth three times the cost of the item. The maglite option sounds promising, when I have the Canon in hand I'll start to make some real decisions.

Now, I'd like to just acknowledge the help that this thread has given me already yielding physical results. Specifically in this case, the help Dann provided in my search for a bubble strip, which ended up with me finding and purchasing this...

View attachment 686479

Which has a rather lovely one of these behind the screen...

View attachment 686480

Lovin' it. So, thanks to everybody here for being so generous with their knowledge. I really appreciate it.
Glad you found yourself some bubbles!
 
So, my question is, what are (if any) the flashes that would be the best suited to adapting for this project, since I know it was mentioned a few pages ago that the Canon flashes in particular are an usual diameter due to being of Japanese make. There is a decently cheap Minicam Syncho Junior on eBay right now, but it looks to be a different finish from the Model Y.

Ta.

Because of the lack of threading on the Y endcaps, I secured them too permanently to take apart to show... but here is the Agfa/Rainer merging where I used using the same attack plan. Hopefully it makes sense... you can see the 1/4 knob threads through two endcaps, end to end.

join.jpg


Like I said before, you'll just have to remove the guts from the bottom flash and find an endcap for it's former bulb socket end.

And while my host is actually working again... here's my to-do pile... not sure which to actually get to next...

todo.jpg


Not that I have anywhere else to put them...

yikes.jpg
 
Hopefully it makes sense... you can see the 1/4 knob threads through two endcaps, end to end.

Ah, fantastic! That does make a lot more sense with the photographs to illustrate your point. Thank you very much. I'll certainly be doing some playing about with this method, see what I can do (and as a cheap, cheap, indie filmmaker, I have plenty of extra broken tripods and camera mounts lying around to tear apart for my lightsaber construction needs)

Not that I have anywhere else to put them...

http://sethmsherwood.com/pretty/yikes.jpg

Good grief, you know you're living the dream when you actually have to consider where exactly on your shelf of lightsabers to cram the next one.:lol
 
Because of the lack of threading on the Y endcaps, I secured them too permanently to take apart to show... but here is the Agfa/Rainer merging where I used using the same attack plan. Hopefully it makes sense... you can see the 1/4 knob threads through two endcaps, end to end.

http://sethmsherwood.com/pretty/join.jpg

Like I said before, you'll just have to remove the guts from the bottom flash and find an endcap for it's former bulb socket end.

And while my host is actually working again... here's my to-do pile... not sure which to actually get to next...

http://sethmsherwood.com/pretty/todo.jpg

Not that I have anywhere else to put them...

http://sethmsherwood.com/pretty/yikes.jpg

You might be the most lightsaber-obsessed person here. I salute you.
 
Custom lightsabers are my zen. I'm incredibly lucky to have very creative day job, but it's all mental-- I don't get to do much with my hands outside of typing. I've found that tactile stimulation, hand based tinkering or sculpting, hand-painting objects and mental exercises like puzzles are things that work other parts of my brain and actually help me clear my mind to solve my creative work problems.

Lightsaber building manages to do all of those things at once. I work, get stuck, tinker, then the answer I need make their way to me.

So that's resulted in about 25 custom sabers... a couple blasters, and four screen builds... and 10 more to do...
 
Because of the lack of threading on the Y endcaps, I secured them too permanently to take apart to show... but here is the Agfa/Rainer merging where I used using the same attack plan. Hopefully it makes sense... you can see the 1/4 knob threads through two endcaps, end to end.

http://sethmsherwood.com/pretty/join.jpg

Like I said before, you'll just have to remove the guts from the bottom flash and find an endcap for it's former bulb socket end.

And while my host is actually working again... here's my to-do pile... not sure which to actually get to next...

http://sethmsherwood.com/pretty/todo.jpg

Not that I have anywhere else to put them...

http://sethmsherwood.com/pretty/yikes.jpg
The two I like in that first group photo are:

One up from the bottom left, and one down from the top right.

Those are the most interesting to me, personally.
 
That's a Ziess Ikon (so is the one above) with the shroud and clamp from a Busch ( the body of which is up three from bottom on th right) along with a set of @Scott D style grips. It's my fav of the batch too, but I've been terrified to drill and tap the holes for the grips.
 
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Here is my latest build. It is based off the Energizer commercial and the Barbican Vader sabers. For some reason I like those ugly sabers.
http://www.therpf.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=687847&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1480794496
View attachment 687848
View attachment 687849
View attachment 687850
View attachment 687851

- Andrew
Very cool take on those designs!

I think it looks like it could be a version that we'd see in the Rebels show or something.

Nice, clean work!!

Can you tell us more about the construction? What parts did you use? Looks like you custom made them!
 
Very cool take on those designs!

I think it looks like it could be a version that we'd see in the Rebels show or something.

Nice, clean work!!

Can you tell us more about the construction? What parts did you use? Looks like you custom made them!

Thanks. Yes the saber is mostly custom made parts. Besides the aluminum tube I used for the main body I scratch built the activation box and the d-ring box from black thermoplastic sheets and styrene. The simulated lever on the activation box is from a cracked aluminum heat-sink that I heavily modified. I used parts from the same aluminum heat-sink for the "bulb release" piece under the emitter. I used a replica ROTJ Vader emitter shroud part bought off eBay and an end cap from a Maglite D-cell for the pommel. Of course the grips are from TCSS. It was pretty easy build. Really the most difficult part was finding the right parts to use from the scrap material bins that are in my shop. There was a lot of experimentation with the scrap pieces. That is the fun part I guess.
 
I just stumbled across photos of a lightsber I built several years ago for a friend's fan film that never got made. It's made out of PVC tubing, a few metal parts like the knob, the pommel and the shroud. The pommel was actually a cabinet door handle I got at Home Depot. I have since sold this but I thought I would show off the photos.

- Andrew
 

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