My Vader ANH Light Saber Build: Couple of questions

history Hunter

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RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
Hey guys. I'm new here, but those of you with whom I've corresponded, know I've been building a few sabers lately. I finished my Luke ANH and ESB sabers, and kept it "100% real" with parts. Of course, building my Vader build, I'm making a few compromises, given the MPP scarcity in the world!

1) I used a Heiland flash, and upgraded the end cap with a "Sol" cap from a partially complete Sol flash.
2) I used a front end piece from Roy, as well as a center band.
3) I'm buying an upper clip assembly from a website I can't remember (it's out of business, but the guy had one he sold me).

One of my last steps is to attach the T-track. My question is ... for this saber, as you see it so far, what is the proper T-track count, the proper length of the T-track, and the proper positioning of the center band (as measured from the bottom near the end cap).

saber1.jpg

saber2.jpg

saber3.jpg
 
While he's asking questions... I have a similair set up happening... pretty much exactly the parts he's using.

This is, I know there's a board under the bubble strips... being without an exactra board, what's a good alternative? any green piece of computer board? Anyone got a good pic of what it SHOULD look like under there so I can find a good match...

I'm sure History Hunter could use the same info...
 
In 'A New Hope the Darth Vader saber also has seven 3 5/8" long grips' according to http://www.partsofsw.com/ website Since you have the black sidebars on your clamp ... this quote from thepartsofsw is appropriate : 'There was second Darth Vader lightsaber prop used in A New Hope. It's very similar to the version seen at top but with some subtle differences. The second MPP Microflash had black rectangular sidebars on the middle clamp. The lever was tightened a half turn and was on the opposite side of the clamp compared to the other lightsaber version. This version also had the clamp down low against the top of the grips.'

NeoRutty In my thread about the bubbles you see a picture of the green board of the TI-2000 that looks similar to the one used underneath the bubbles of Vader's ROTJ MPP, though the number led diodes block the 'tear drop', which some have noticed afterwards http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=73545

Chaim
 
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Yep there were 2 ANH Vader sabers, with 7 grips, similar to the length of Luke's T Track, so short.

Silver Sidebar Version
anh_vader.jpg


Black sidebar version, clamp pushed down, most likely with circuit board by the looks of it
ANHvadersaberright.jpg
 
Okay, so ... It looks like for the version I'm building, I need to reverse the clip and have it be on the left side. This means I'll be going for the "black side" version. Checking "the parts of star wars" to try to figure out the remaining things I need to know, here's what I have learned for the website (please correct me if I'm wrong) ...

1) Grips should be 3 5/8 inch long.
2) The clamp should rest firmly on top of the grips.

The exact NUMBER of grips is still a mystery. Can someone please "grade" my answers (1 and 2) above, and let me know the number of grips. The website has a template for downloading both the six and seven grip pattern.

I am fairly certain I'll need some "wires" to stick through the holes, but I'll master that once I get the above three things right!
 
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Nope, no wires for the ANH sabers. The ANH sabers most likely had 7 grips. Luke's did, the Vader with silver sidebars did, so it's like an 80% chance the spare Vader saber did too.
 
Thanks everyone, and THANKS Chaim especially (who has been especially helpful via personal message). I'll be finishing up today, and will post photos. I won't have the "top switch" yet, but when that comes in the mail, it should be an easy install. By the way, for those of you who may not have known ... the "Sol" end-cap I bought, screwed perfectly onto the Heiland body! Just thought you'd like to know the parts can be hybrid-ed ;)
 
Okay, so the Vader saber is pretty much finished. I'm waiting on the upper button assembly that goes into the holes on the top of the saber, but in the mean time, here's a picture of my work so far. Couple of questions ...

1) how far from the top of the T-track should the center assembly sit.
2) Should the t-track be "rounded?"
3) Is there supposed to be a circuit board beneath the bubble-strip?

Thanks in advance for your patience! Once this is finished, I only have to assemble my Obi-wan, and I have all three light-sabers from ANH! Of course, I'll be waiting to upgrade my Vader with a real MPP, and will slowly replace my Obiwan parts with real ones as I find them.

vader.jpg
 
Beautiful work sir! One thing though... More pictures please! :) What adhesive did you use for the T-tracks?
For your Obi-Wan saber, what are you using? I'm currently saving for a Romans weathered version. I think his work looks awesome.
Sorry I couldn't answer your other questions.
 
Since you went for the V2 from Vader in ANH ... those question are hard to anwer with absolute certainty ... if you check the large picture in post #4 you see that some T-tracks are rounded and some have an angle ... so all I can say is be creative ;)

Chaim
 
While he's asking questions... I have a similair set up happening... pretty much exactly the parts he's using.

This is, I know there's a board under the bubble strips... being without an exactra board, what's a good alternative? any green piece of computer board? Anyone got a good pic of what it SHOULD look like under there so I can find a good match...

I'm sure History Hunter could use the same info...

Hey El,

Here's mine:
71456217-3FAF-40FA-AB3E-CA95FB212F41_zps5g16fxwy.jpg
 
Great pic Ed. I have a Parks and a real TI board, the bubbles and board are too thick to fit in the clamp together. Did you sand one or both parts down to get it to fit?
 
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I just bought Roman's "non" weathered version (I'll weather it myself). As for adhesive, I used a "Crazy Glue" gel. I'll take better pictures once the last couple of pieces are in place, and post them for review.
 
I do not have an exactra yet, but is it not three parts that need to sandwich into the clamp- the bubbles, the clear circuit board and the green circuit board?
 
I found out recently that the bubbles are pinched in the MPP on the real prop. So those need to be sanded on the long sides. The circuit board is stuck to the underside of the bubbles, so they kind of float, but it is also skinny enough to sit underneath the clamp sidebars like the esb cards.
 
For some reason I'm having issues with cutting the board from my exactra! no idea why! It's not like I'm going to use it as a calculator... Just having a problem destroying it further.

Lol... you do realize that you have to trim the bubbles anyways ;-)
 
Lol... you do realize that you have to trim the bubbles anyways ;-)
well I trimmed the bubblestrip for the Luke saber and obiwan... and I WILL cut up a replica *as far as chopping it down to Vader size...

I don't know why I'm having a hard time cutting the boards... it's not like I can't use it on a real MPP later if I come across it. In my head I'm wasting it cuz I'm cutting it for a heiland.
 
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