Mr Mold Maker
Master Member
I posted in the TFA Graflex Research thread but don't want to keep bumping that with a replica build, so here is where I am at so far..
First of all, if it even needs to be said.. Roman's work on these is superb. Honestly, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing a TFA version with a vintage Graflex.. I just wouldn't. This is the next best thing, and I mean the very next. So glad I picked one up.. hopefully I'll snatch up another one down the road.
As for the saber, I already filed down the knurling on the glass eye, using the dremel method posted in the research thread. Worked great! The lines were a little uneven so it took a good bit of filing but I am super happy with the look. I also used a metalizer to change the bulb pin to a brass color, and then gave the top half an ammonia bath to get the pins looking a little less shiny.
I had an old pair of 3D glasses, the old red and blue acetate kind, so I cut a few circles out and placed them behind the glass eye. When the light is off, you can't tell anything is in there at all, but when it's on it adds a nice little touch of blue.
The grips are from the custom saber shop, and will likely be replaced when I get my kit from Roy. No templates, no measuring.. just eyeballed and placed them on. Blasphemy to some, but I doubt they were anywhere near as exacting as some of us folks on this board. I've seen Propshops work on 7.. believe me, they aren't measuring anything. I cut down the screws and glued them in place, and I went with screws just because I think they look better. I really can't stand the look of the pop rivets in the grip, but that's just my personal taste.
The rest of the stuff to finish the saber will be coming in from Roy sometime in the next two weeks! I'll be honest, I haven't been able to put this thing down since I got it!
As for Roman's Graflex itself, the top and the bottom are a match, or atleast close enough that I can't really tell a difference. There is that weird texture on the top of the clamps but two seconds with scotchbrite would help, and in my case it will be covered anyways. I know a lot came with a super shiny bottom but mine didn't. Not sure if Roman hit it with scotchbrite himself, or what happened, but it came perfect. I saw some bunny ears were bent a bit further apart than I would have liked, but mine came with perfectly thin and parallel spacing. Red button took some force like others, but it came off easy enough with some convincing. The bunny ear screw I'm not bothered by enough to fix, and that's about it.
Over-all, those are all my nitpicks, and most, if not all were already fixed or easily fixable. I am 110% happy with my order and the Graflex I received.
First of all, if it even needs to be said.. Roman's work on these is superb. Honestly, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing a TFA version with a vintage Graflex.. I just wouldn't. This is the next best thing, and I mean the very next. So glad I picked one up.. hopefully I'll snatch up another one down the road.
As for the saber, I already filed down the knurling on the glass eye, using the dremel method posted in the research thread. Worked great! The lines were a little uneven so it took a good bit of filing but I am super happy with the look. I also used a metalizer to change the bulb pin to a brass color, and then gave the top half an ammonia bath to get the pins looking a little less shiny.
I had an old pair of 3D glasses, the old red and blue acetate kind, so I cut a few circles out and placed them behind the glass eye. When the light is off, you can't tell anything is in there at all, but when it's on it adds a nice little touch of blue.
The grips are from the custom saber shop, and will likely be replaced when I get my kit from Roy. No templates, no measuring.. just eyeballed and placed them on. Blasphemy to some, but I doubt they were anywhere near as exacting as some of us folks on this board. I've seen Propshops work on 7.. believe me, they aren't measuring anything. I cut down the screws and glued them in place, and I went with screws just because I think they look better. I really can't stand the look of the pop rivets in the grip, but that's just my personal taste.
The rest of the stuff to finish the saber will be coming in from Roy sometime in the next two weeks! I'll be honest, I haven't been able to put this thing down since I got it!
As for Roman's Graflex itself, the top and the bottom are a match, or atleast close enough that I can't really tell a difference. There is that weird texture on the top of the clamps but two seconds with scotchbrite would help, and in my case it will be covered anyways. I know a lot came with a super shiny bottom but mine didn't. Not sure if Roman hit it with scotchbrite himself, or what happened, but it came perfect. I saw some bunny ears were bent a bit further apart than I would have liked, but mine came with perfectly thin and parallel spacing. Red button took some force like others, but it came off easy enough with some convincing. The bunny ear screw I'm not bothered by enough to fix, and that's about it.
Over-all, those are all my nitpicks, and most, if not all were already fixed or easily fixable. I am 110% happy with my order and the Graflex I received.