TFA Graflex Research (That's a Graflex, right? Force Awakens teaser trailer #2)

So I've had the urge to weather my tfa graflex, any thoughts on the most accurate weathering(amount, colors)?


Mine is coming in from Roman today, but from the one I saw the immediate thing that stuck out to me was the pins. If you suspend the top half in a closed bin with ammonia it will dull those pins right down and make them look much more vintage. The bulb springy thing should be changed to brass, and other than that I think some light scratching will really set it off as accurate, to the wired saber at least and that's about all I'll be doing.

I will definitely be doing all this when mine is in and will update the thread. Waiting on the TFA kit from Roy at the moment.
 
Mine is coming in from Roman today, but from the one I saw the immediate thing that stuck out to me was the pins. If you suspend the top half in a closed bin with ammonia it will dull those pins right down and make them look much more vintage. The bulb springy thing should be changed to brass, and other than that I think some light scratching will really set it off as accurate, to the wired saber at least and that's about all I'll be doing.

I will definitely be doing all this when mine is in and will update the thread. Waiting on the TFA kit from Roy at the moment.

Oh man, you're going to love this thing. I carry it with me everywhere. I think I'm going to let the pins age naturally.

Do you mean the actual spring inside of the glass eye needs to be brass, or do you mean filing down the knurling? I already filed the knurling and am not worried about anything internal that can't be seen.

I was mostly wondering if the Prop Shop replica was an indicator of how much weathering there should be. I know that it's a little over-done on that replica but maybe there is some kind of middle-ground amount of weathering.
 
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I mean this thing here. I have absolutely no idea what to call it.. just where the bulb makes contact. The Roman saber I held had this piece in a silver tone instead of the brass. Small detail, but I figure it can't hurt to change it.

I definitely know I'm going to love it! I will tackle grinding off the knurling when it gets in.. that dremel idea is fantastic! Probably the part I'm most excited for, haha.

I'll pass the Propshop question off to someone more knowledgeable. For my taste, just personally speaking, there are too many inaccuracies for me to trust it as a reference. That's just my opinion for my particular saber though. :)


Oh man, you're going to love this thing. I carry it with me everywhere. I think I'm going to let the pins age naturally.

Do you mean the actual spring inside of the glass eye needs to be brass, or do you mean filing down the knurling? I already filed the knurling and am not worried about anything internal that can't be seen.

I was mostly wondering if the Prop Shop replica was an indicator of how much weathering there should be. I know that it's a little over-done on that replica but maybe there is some kind of middle-ground amount of weathering.
 
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Of the vintage flashes I have at my desk, three of the six have a silver bulb contact. It really just depends on the flash and which movie you want to try to replicate. I don't know that we know the color of the contact for ANH or ESB.

Of mine, the ones that were marked as Folmers were brass while the Patent number ones are silver. No idea if this is consistent with everyone else's. I think even the silver ones are just plated brass and can be sanded to a brass finish. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
 

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IIRC, all the contact pins were silver originally it's just that, with use, the metal plate wore off over time, exposing the brass underneath on many units. It's why the brass looks so worn and scuffed.
 
I'm sure this is the case, it would make sense. Im just saying for MY saber? To match the photo I posted and am referencing? I'll be making it brass. I don't think the silver looks as good, and I don't think it's accurate to that particular saber. ;)

I totally realize that some Graflex flashes were indeed like that though, you're totally correct.


Sorry to shift off topic.


IIRC, all the contact pins were silver originally it's just that, with use, the metal plate wore off over time, exposing the brass underneath on many units. It's why the brass looks so worn and scuffed.
 
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I know that I'm late to the party here.. both with Roman's Graflex AND the TFA saber in general.. but wow. Roman's Graflex is stunning. I am just blown away by the craftsmanship put into this thing.. I'd never be comfortable doing a TFA saber with a vintage Graflex, but this is the next best thing.. the very next. Just about as soon as it got here I already had it in pieces and I've done (my) step 1&2 on the way to a TFA saber.

Grinding down the knurling was easy enough using the dremel method, and the springy bulb connection pin thing was lightly sanded and then hit with a metalizer. I'm hoping it will react similarly to the pins when I give it an ammonia vapor bath. Let's find out. :)

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Hey guys, I'm sure this has been covered somewhere in this thread but which clamp cover by wannawanga is more movie accurate? The slotted one or stamped cover ?


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Hey guys, I'm sure this has been covered somewhere in this thread but which clamp cover by wannawanga is more movie accurate? The slotted one or stamped cover ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think it's up in the air at this point. Personally, I think stamped is the way to go, but they're pretty close.


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