Custom Saber #3 - Vader Style

thd9791

Master Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
Hey guys! I started with a vintage Nikon 3 cell...Heiland shroud and messed around with the extra parts. I likes Sym-Chas use of the reflector rods, so I sorta did the same - running them into the flash unit.

The red button and parallel button are two ends of one threaded rod, used to be the bulb release, so I drilled through the whole flash body and bolted them in across from each other! Used a Nikon bulb bushing around the red one.

the black part up top is a cut down rear sight to a roger air pistol!
Ingot a beautiful nameless graflex clamp from Roman however, like a true Star Wars set decorator, I broke things. The flash unscrews in the middle of the tube and I sorts broke the threads somehow...so I tried to bolt it together like the stunt sabers on set! Ala shared stunt clamp. Sorta worked :lol with one extra Phillips head for the top half.

oh, the clamp card is a commodore minute man calculator display! Broke that too and tried to glue and tape it back together. Clamp holds it perfectly. Clamp itself is high heat black and satin clear coat! Just needs ....grips...
 

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I likes Sym-Chas use of the reflector rods, so I sorta did the same - running them into the flash unit.

Hey thd9791 ! I'm super gonna have to remember this and totally copy you two on the rods out of the Heiland shroud, it looks FANTASITC!!!

I'll have to look for Sym-Cha 's version!

You could probably sand/polish/buff the scratches out around the holes where the rods enter the tube to pretty it up a bit. It might even give a nice 'something happened here' heat wise (imaginary "real-world" lightsaber explination for the brass being exposed around the holes). Maybe even hit it with a torch after you smooth away the scratches to give it a real heat patina. As it is currently, the scratches look a bit...er, ..."My drill kinda got away from me a smidge." rather than an intentionally designed element, if that makes sense.

My only other constructive criticism would be to inquire why you didn't use the Heiland's bulb-holder for your emitter? It's such a cool looking part.... compared to a flat washer.:eek

Overall I really like your #3 Vader Style! Looking forward to seeing what you choose from its grips!
 
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You could probably sand/polish/buff the scratches out around the holes where the rods enter the tube to pretty it up a bit. It might even give a nice 'something happened here' heat wise (imaginary "real-world" lightsaber explination for the brass being exposed around the holes). Maybe even hit it with a torch after you smooth away the scratches to give it a real heat patina. As it is currently, the scratches look a bit...er, ..."My drill kinda got away from me a smidge." rather than an intentionally designed element, if that makes sense.

My only other constructive criticism would be to inquire why you didn't use the Heiland's bulb-holder for your emitter? It's such a cool looking part.... compared to a flat washer.:eek

Overall I really like your #3 Vader Style! Looking forward to seeing what you choose from its grips!


Yes! thanks! Ill look into buffing those out, I've waited since the nickel plating is missing and I can't make it silver again, I could turn it into carbon scoring!

I actually used the socket already included with the Nikon flash. I like keeping as many parts together as possible, for the Star Wars cobble effect, and that left me with some problems. The heiland shroud only fit over the top 1/2" lip of the Nikon....so I extended the tube and that left me with a tall empty space! I used what I had on hand, which were parts from inside the right-angle Nikon bulb socket. Many sabers - including the Barbican, Shared stunt, etc. have some sort of filled-in guts for stunt blades, so I went for that look :D

Also - here's a kicker for everyone.

1) Eye-balling the holes for the rods is HARD. I was 1/8" too far south, and I had to lengthen the holes to fix that.

2) the holes have to match the angle of the rods, just like the rebel blaster that kept the bent reflector rods, and I had to do it freehand with a drill press

3) the rods MEET on the inside. I had to keep jiggling and wacking them in different directions to get them to orient correctly.

4) for some reason, I had trouble getting them into the Heiland shroud. They were bent slightly away, so I kept adjusting the holes to a flatter and flatter angle to get things to line up correctly.

5) the 3 bolts meet the two rods inside the flash unit (thank god I chose a certain length of bolt) my girlfriend said the 3 bolts meeting the double rods next to eachother kinda looked like the center focusing point for the theoretical crystals inside.

6) still not sure how to match countersunk bits with countersunk bolt heads. I used a 5/8 for this one I think...ended up having to grind in a circle to get the right bevel and diameter.
 
If you want a good looking emitter, I've been having a lot of fun combining HDD parts with little plumbing do-dads. You can craft one pretty easily.
 
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