Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial (Master Thread)

Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

Just noticing the alcohol posts, if you have dipped the V2 in the a14, it is a MUST to clean it very well before applying the stencil



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

So I still need to get Roy’s lever, but I’m calling this done for now.

A0DEA814-D785-4C08-BDDA-270A5C7104A2.jpegFBBFE647-F6A6-42E5-9570-3E759E50365B.jpegA695B7FA-72D5-4A0D-A68A-0FEC4660D361.jpeg51BB0FEB-DF8E-4C09-AD7B-9A165B8CD8FC.jpeg91DCF6C9-DFE2-43FC-9FFB-FDBAA2BF29B7.jpeg7A8203EB-CC9B-431F-A3F6-C132EA92E58C.jpeg3131D28E-02C7-4C55-BE31-DC6489B3FF58.jpeg234D71AE-39A2-4A99-A694-9E12F1B5434A.jpeg
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial


Like the integration of sand into the paint. Can I ask is that clamp one of Roman’s? If so I’m having a hard time putting it together with Anakin’s saver, Roys lever and Wanna’s board.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

Like the integration of sand into the paint. Can I ask is that clamp one of Roman’s? If so I’m having a hard time putting it together with Anakin’s saver, Roys lever and Wanna’s board.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What kind of problem are you having? You need to pinch the clamp together real tight with it off the saber to get roys lever threaded into the locking block it comes with

The video I previously posted shows trents V2 and his Romans clamp, I put that on right over the ring section

Get back with some details of your issues and we can help ya out ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

What kind of problem are you having? You need to pinch the clamp together real tight with it off the saber to get roys lever threaded into the locking block it comes with

The video I previously posted shows trents V2 and his Romans clamp, I put that on right over the ring section

Get back with some details of your issues and we can help ya out ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Halliwax thanks for responding dude.

Yeah whenever I tried to get it all together and then slip over it’s incredibly tight and won’t fit over the section of the saber. I thought trying to pinch the two sides when it was on the saber would force them more together but no joy. I’ll need to try again when I get home. Once I do I’ll take images if that helps. But thank you again for responding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

I did end up having to bend the card holder tabs in a bit for that to be tight enough once I got the clamp fitted.
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

Hi Halliwax thanks for responding dude.

Yeah whenever I tried to get it all together and then slip over it’s incredibly tight and won’t fit over the section of the saber. I thought trying to pinch the two sides when it was on the saber would force them more together but no joy. I’ll need to try again when I get home. Once I do I’ll take images if that helps. But thank you again for responding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You have filed down the tabs inside the clamp right?

Also I’ve noticed roys lever is just barely threaded in order for it to work correctly

I have had a clamp video in the works for a few weeks, I have barely any free time right now, and when I do I work on the commissions I have backed up.

If you can get back to this thread with some pics, we will help ya get it worked out ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

b912ea28d560819bcc073d31c212d0b0.png


Yes I’ve filed down inside. Clamp isn’t sitting low enough as it is!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

Yes I’ve filed down inside. Clamp isn’t sitting low enough as it is!

OK try this. Do all of this WITHOUT the clamp card.
1. make sure there aren't ANY burs or pieces left from the tabs you filed off. the inside should be completely smooth.
2. remove the top half of the V2 if it's Starkiller's new version, or remove at least the emitter if it's the old version. This is so you can slip the clamp on and off the V2 as you make adjustments.
3. with the clamp off of the V2, squeeze the ends together so the square part of the peg sticks out allowing you to tighten the lever screw a few turns.
4. with the lever open, slide the clamp back onto the V2 and close the lever.
If it's still too loose, repeat steps 3 and 4, giving it one turn each time until it can be slid over the V2 when open, but grips snuggly when closed.

If you find that one position is too loose, but the next turn is too tight to get the clamp onto the V2 while the lever is open, then you need to get it half way between the two. The way to do that is a HALF TURN of the square nut.
To do this:
1. Mark the nut on one side with a pencil or something removable so you can keep track of it's position.
2. Unscrew the lever all the way until it comes loose from the nut.
3. Rotate the nut 180 degrees (1/2 turn) and then put it back together.
4. When you get it tightened properly, using the steps above, that sweet spot will be exactly in between the "too loose" turn and the "too tight" turn from before, and you'll end up with a proper fit with the lever pointing back in the right direction.

after all of this, if your clamp STILL is too loose, you can put a single piece of cellophane tape along the inside of the clamp to give it a little extra thickness and some grip.

Now that the clamp fits, put the clamp card in. If the card's too loose, you have a few options. you can put a piece of cellophane tape under it to make it thick enough to hold in place, you can bend in the elbows of the clamp so that the card edges meet the clamp edges, or you can slightly bend the "hands" in so that they grip the card more tightly.
 
Last edited:
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

So I got home a little early today and wanted to get some painting in... thank god I used some test pieces first... I used the weeded out stencil parts and put them on a scrap of aluminum..

I sprayed the aluminum with rustoleum BUT

It’s 90 degrees here today with zero wind.. wicked hot..

I did this outside my shed, and left it in the sun for 15 minutes to cure.. big mistake
The stencils shrunk in the hot sun

So anyone in the hotter climates, I wouldn’t let the saber sit in the sun light.. bring it back into the house

Thankfully it was a test piece and not the real saber..

ea1297a54f2500c981b0adca5e807fa2.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

Late on the show, but just to say Thank You Danny!!!!

I'll grab my V2 and finish it in no time thank to You!

Kind regards,

Alberto
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

I picked up a vintage clamp over the past week that had the right look I am going for and started getting to work weathering and painting this thing. I just realized that this is the 4th or 5th iteration of the V2 for me over the past 17 years or so. I stumbled across this picture of the very first V2 I ever completed from around 2001. This was back when some believed that a bent wire replaced the Graflex lever in the clamp and was held in place via a corresponding hole in the booster. It’s crazy to see this now:

D44A52FA-B0B3-4685-8534-DDE62DD12BA6.jpeg

It was easy work removing the machine marks from the pommel cubes and booster. No secrets/techniques to reveal here with my build that haven’t already been discussed via the excellent builds in this thread already.

A personal debate for me had to do with the damage to the bottom of the pommel. I decided that ather than trying to eyeball and replicate the gashes and dings on the bottom of the pommel of the original saber. I went for the natural look that is the result of purposeful drops and strikes against areas of the floor of my basement/workshop and keeps within the “spirit” of the look of the original. I tend to find--at least for me--that when I try to replicate exact dings and gashes with Dremmels and files, it never quite looks authentic; almost like a forged signature that lacks naturalism. My hat is off to those who can pull of that level of authenticity.

I am working from the bottom up and have gotten this far this past weekend. LOVE the work by A. Starkillet and Trooper Trent on this project —a homerun from both of them that continues to make our jobs easier in finishing these off into beautiful pieces.

211E4DFC-4A14-4E7C-B656-067B15CDECDE.jpeg4A549A5F-2712-484C-B138-98C317E054CA.jpegD5C1CF5E-CA22-4E8B-8D9F-025CCAACF5D8.jpeg8726074E-C88C-43A5-92C7-34347D3BFC76.jpeg8FA4D539-2A16-4E3B-9E77-65E38F551EED.jpegAB01CF1B-64BA-497D-A5D0-4D43006589A3.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

Really nice alley!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

Thank you sir—it means a lot coming from the V2 master! :)

I appreciate that, but I can’t say I’m a master of anything

Well.. I can say I am a master of disaster lol

I’m finishing up one now, hopefully I’ll get a living breathing minute to post here

I got all new pictures to update this thread and so new trent tips. Just been overwhelmed..

I get roughly 15 minutes in the morning while I travel to work to comb over the threads. Can’t wait for my life to be back to normal

ee9c2017978553e95d6e93ddd118b415.jpg





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

Quick update moving up the neck of the saber...

I use ”PanPastel” pastels (280.3 orange shade and 740.3 burnt sienna shade) to subtlety add the dust/rust/whatever that is between the grenade rings. Each pass is sealed with a satin clear coat (after masking off other areas) followed by a removal of the clear coat with fine grit sandpaper from the edge of the rings to maintain the shiny appearance of the rings seen in the original. It takes a few passes to build it up but not to overdue it.

This is my first 2 weathering passes with pastels:

CEF10C3D-A5CD-45C2-92BB-EA5A7E1B0713.jpeg9D2DACB8-AF76-4733-979A-ACF4417B0ACD.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

OK I have the dirt/rust/crud detail in the rings where I want it and am stopping here for now.

As Mr. Lucas says “...you can go too far with these things.”

You can really only see the pastel weathering under bright light conditions, otherwise the rings just look black...

Under bright light:

532CC7F7-E5BB-4DC9-B992-DD61E74EBFD5.jpeg

Under regular lighting conditions:

A5DC5D0C-FCBD-4859-86C5-533C02CB271A.jpeg

I assume the original appears largely the same as you don’t really pick up any rusty colors in the grenade ring section in the movie or the “Pop Culture” video. I assume that the famous photo that Brandon posted that shows the rusty ring color was under photo studio lighting, or similar, conditions.
 
Last edited:
Re: Anakin Starkiller FX V2 - Aging Weathering & Stencil Tutorial

Apologies if this has been covered somewhere but in regards to the clamp, Roman has bright satin ot matte options. Which clamp would be better to start with and would you a14 the clamp as well or just take it down with steel wool?
 

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.
Back
Top